Fang's Secret Sister
by If Anyone Knew I Would
Summary: Fang has had a few secrets up his sleeve for a little too long now. Mind reading… a twin sister! Well… it was always pretty obvious Fang kept to himself, but the flock may be in for a few surprises that come with Fang’s Secret Sister. Fang's POV. Rated T.
1. Fang's Secrets

**Okay… this story started a long time ago actually. Like… I started thinking about in grade 7(I'm in grade 9 just so you know)… tell me what you think. It's kind of weird and different, but that's kind of the point.**

**I'M SORRY IF THE CHARACTERS GET A LITTLE OCC!!! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!!! I'M NOT JP!**

**Disclaimer:****Any**** of the ****Original Maximum Ride Characters**** are ****not mine**

**Claimer:****Any Characters**** that are ****not**** from the ****Maximum Ride Books**** are ****MINE…**

**Try to steal them, and I'll hunt you down and skin you alive.**

**You've been warned.**

**Okay…**

**Summery:**** (just in case you missed it before)**

**Fang has had a few secrets up his sleeve for a little too long now. Mind reading… a twin sister! Well… it was always pretty obvious Fang kept to himself, but the flock may in for a few surprises that come with Fang's Secret Sister. **

**Oh… and this is mostly in Fang's POV…**

**So… now you've been told.**

**HAPPY READING!**

Fang's Secret Sister

Chapter 1

(Fang's POV)

Okay, I got a lot of confessing to do. Firstly, I've got a power, a secret one. I've had it for as long as I can remember. I can read minds, but it's more skilled then Angel's. I can talk to them in my mind. Or well, I used to be able to. I kind of forgot how to.

Second, I've got a twin sister, her name is Shadow. She's exactly like me, only a girl. She is amazing, seriously. Fittingly, she can sink into shadows. You actually can't see her once she's in them.

She can also take the energy from anything or give it. She can suck the life out of you or give it. It's pretty cool. She can make a flower bloom and then wilt or a light burn out and make it light up again. She can take the energy out of the sun if she wants to. She was left behind at the school. Not by my choice. I was taken from her when Jeb saved us.

I never told them because even back then I was defensive and protective over her. We both knew I was older and I took it as my personal responsibility to take care of her.

Now was one of those times. Sure I was miles away chilling with Max and Iggy at Mrs. Martinez's house aka Max's mom's house.

I saw sitting outside in a lawn chair with my eyes closed.

Her voice wandered into my head, _I wonder what's for dinner… I wonder if Fang's listening to me. I wonder if I'll ever get out of here. Fang, if you're listening to me, please come and save me. I miss you. Are you still alive? Why do I torture my mind wondering where you are? I lost you once and I feel like I lost my other half. You already know that, if you are or were listening anyways. That's it I'm done with this crap. Today, I'm getting out of here, no matter what. Even if I die trying, because I bet you're dead anyways._

My eyes snapped open and I caught Max watching me. "Are you okay?" She asked passing me a glass of ice tea.

"No, I need to go." I said abruptly while getting up. I chugged down the ice tea and shook out my shoulders.

"What?" Max said too loudly and the flock looked.

"I need to go, take care of the flock, I'll be back." I said walking off while trying to avoid Max's eyes.

Unfortunately Max grabbed my arm and spun me to face her. She said, "Fang, you're not going anywhere unless you give me a good reason why you're going and I'm going with you." She said stubbornly.

I looked her strait in the eyes and said, "I'm going, because if I don't, someone I know is going to die." I looked at the flock, "I need to do this by myself. I've put it off for far too long. I've been too… too afraid to step up and do it." I said. "There I said it, happy?" I asked them my anger rising slightly. I repressed it.

I looked back at Max. "You can't come Max. I won't put you or the flock in danger. This is something I have to do myself. I'll be back by nightfall." I said quietly. That was one of the longest speeches I'd ever given.

I looked at Angel. I winked at her, she knew about Shadow… a little bit. She was the only one of the flock that did. She kept my secret. She even kept the mind reading a secret. She knew Shadow was important to me, but that's about it.

I ran and with one last look at the flock I took off. I didn't really know if I would be back or when, but I couldn't have Max follow me.

I flew fast through the day; I kept Shadow on my constant radar. Every time I closed my eyes I read her thoughts. The only draw back to my power, I can't read minds with my eyes open, well I get longer distance so it's okay.

I heard her as she got ready; I heard her thoughts as she ran through the halls. She had gotten past the one whitecoat that had delivered her lunch. I heard her thoughts as she pushed open a door and was suddenly outside.

I was close. I got ready to dive when I heard gun fire. I heard a girl scream. Fear sparked through me. I closed my eyes and I could still hear her. I smiled and dived.


	2. Shadow

**Hey, sorry, this is 8 pages of Microsoft Word! I don't know how long that is on here, but sorry if it's a little too long! **

Chapter 2

(Shadow's POV)

I ran outside and I flung my midnight wings open. I beat them up and down. I tried desperately to get into the air. Finally, I got in the air.

I flew for a few meters before the gun fire started. Something clipped my wing. I screamed as pain shot through me.

I was beginning to fall when something dark emerged from behind a cloud. _My dark angel_, I thought with hope that shot through me quicker then the pain.

In a few moments his arms were around me and I was being lifted.

He looked down at me. He smiled.

"Fang," I said breathlessly, "You heard." I said smiling.

He rolled his eyes and gave me a "duh" face.

I smiled, "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Fang said smiling.

I was suddenly overcome with exhaustion and my eyes drooped and I slept in my dark angel's arms.

(Max's POV)

I was fuming. I couldn't believe Fang went off like that. I was pacing in the living room with the flock watching me.

"Max, stop it, he's fine." Angel said.

I stopped and looked at her with suspicion, "You know, you have to, you know about who he went to get." I said. The flock looked at her, she fidgeted, that told me exactly what I needed to know. "Who is it?" I asked.

"You won't believe me," Angel said simply. "Just know he went to save someone that is extremely close to him. He knew her before we knew him." Angel said.

I froze, "Her?" I asked.

Angel nodded, "I don't know exactly who she is but her name is Shadow and she's like us. He told me to keep it a secret because she means a lot to him. He is her protector or something." Angel said.

We were all silent. I heard something outside and we all jumped up and went to the door. Angel got there first because she had jumped up before I had time to process the thought. She flung the door open and ran over to Fang. He had a bloody body in his arms. He looked upset to say the least.

Angel gasped, "Fang, how come you never told me?"

The girl had black hair and had an olive skin tone. Fang walked right past me while carrying her. Angel rushed after him. I noticed Nudge whispering in a rushed voice to Iggy who looked like he was hanging on every word.

Fang lay the girl, Shadow, on the couch. His knees buckled and he fell to the floor.

I ran over to him to help him up, "Are you okay?" I asked but I could see from his face that he was just tired.

He nodded and tried to prop himself up but he ended up just falling to the floor with his eyes closed. His breathing slowed and I knew he was asleep. I sighed and Iggy and I transferred Fang to the armchair across from Shadow or Mystery Girl as I like to call her.

Angel looked ecstatic. Nudge tried to get it out of her but she just said in a really high and excited voice, "No, he should tell you!"

I called mom and told her that we had another bird kid with us and she was injured. She said she'd be home in a half an hour.

Well, that's just great. I have to wait a half an hour for me to bask in the curiosity and anger of a deceiving Fang who seems to have known about this mystery girl since before I knew him.

I paced some more; I was waiting for one of them to wake up, preferably Fang. The flock waited in the kitchen, they were probably sick of my pacing by now.

(Fang's POV)

I finally woke up and I watched Shadow's chest rise in fall. I hadn't failed. I looked at Max who had her hands on her hips and glaring at me. "Uh, hi," I said slowly.

She intensified the glare and I knew I had a lot of explaining to do. After all, I didn't need mind reading powers to see that she was really ticked off.

The flock ran into the room to see me, Angel smiled at me and looked like she was itching to talk to me.

Max sighed and walked over to me, "Who is she?" Max asked as she sat down on the coffee table across from me.

"Her name is Shadow." I mumbled avoiding her eyes.

"Ya, we got that part from Angel. How do you know her?" Max asked an edge of steel in her voice.

I gulped, "Shadow is…" I said slowly before I gulped and kept my mouth shut.

Max waited, "Yes?" She asked.

"She's my twin sister," I muttered.

The flock was obviously floored.

They all stared at me for a second before Max laughed nervously, "Uh, what?" She asked, "Could you repeat that? For a second there I thought you said that she was your twin sister." She said obviously in denial.

"She is. I was taken from her when Jeb saved us," I said finally making eye contract with her.

She kept her face clear. "Jesus, I mean I knew there was a reason beyond why you never talking about the school, but I thought it was something they did to you. Is there anything else you're not telling me?" She practically snarled.

I was silent, "Well… if you want me to be perfectly honest." I muttered.

Max glared, "What aren't you telling me?" She asked.

"For as long as I can remember I have been able to read minds," I said quickly.

Max seemed to shut down, "And you didn't tell any of us any of this because?" Max asked.

"Well, no, I told Angel… about half of it." I said thinking back to what I had said to her.

Max gave me a tested look, "Why didn't you tell me about any of us?" She asked slowly.

I could tell my obviously mistrust in her was hurting her, but it wasn't my fault! I had to protect Shadow. Most of all I had to protect the flock from getting messed up in this. Shadow was my responsibility, no one else's.

I kept my mouth shut before I glanced at Shadow and back to Max. "I didn't tell you… not because I didn't trust you." I whispered.

"Did you just read my mind?" Max asked appalled.

"No, I can just read you like a book. I can only read minds with my eyes closed." I said.

"Why didn't you tell me or the flock about Shadow then?" Max asked.

"Shadow is my responsibility." I said defensively. "No one else's, I protect her." I said in the same tone.

Max held up her hands to show, 'whoa, I surrender, relax.'

"We could have helped you." Nudge said quietly.

I shook my head, "I couldn't let to you guys get involved. There's too much history between me and Shadow. There's too much… risk." I said. "Back when Jeb was nice… well I don't know if h still is… but when he was nice, he took me away from Shadow. He promised to reunite us several times. He never did, when he left that last time, he said that he was going to go save her. I was… afraid he had died so that's when I decided that no matter what I would keep her a secret otherwise I'd lose more people I cared about." I said avoiding everyone's eyes.

I looked at Max. She was looking at me sadly, "Jeez Fang," she said with a sigh. She brushed hair away from her forehead and pressed her left temple with her fingers.

"Fang, where are you?" A voice I knew only too well asked.

I smiled slightly and said, "Behind you."

She groaned and looked at me and she jumped, "Who the hell are all these people?" She asked with wide eyes.

I sighed. "What? You thought I was a one man army?" I asked rolling my eyes

Shadow shrugged then winced from the bullet wound, "I only knew you until I was like 10 or something."

I rolled my eyes again. "This is Max, Iggy, Nudge, The Gasman and Angel." I said motioning to each of the flock.

She smiled at them and I could tell she was feeling awkward, "Do they know everything that I know about you that you know about me?" She asked wiggling her eyebrows in that way that she does when she's trying to tell me something.

"Yes. They know everything that I know about you that you know about me," I said with a smirk.

She looked like she wanted to hit me. I eyed her bloody wing. Worry was cursing through me. What if it was seriously damaged? What would I do?

"Fang," Shadow waving a hand around to get my attention.

"Huh?" I said getting pulled out of my train of worry.

"Would you stop eyeing my wing like it's never going to work again? You're freaking me out with that seriously freaked out look." Shadow said looking uneasy.

The flock minus Max looked confused.

"He doesn't look freaked out, he just looks like… emotionless or something. He's all silent and watching you. That's not freak out… I think." Nudge said and she would have continued if Iggy hadn't subtly put a hand over her mouth.

"For all I know it won't get better, it won't get fixed." I said sourly the worry creeping on me again.

Max sent me a look I couldn't really understand. I think it was worry.

"I'll be fine." Shadow said trying to calm me down. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Is your wing hurting at all?" Max asked looking confused.

Shadow eyed me for a minute. I could tell she was debating telling her the truth or not and trying to reason the amount I would freak out. "It hurts like hell." Shadow said finally. I tried to look emotionless. Shadow wasn't fooled. She glared at me, "Now don't you go crazy like that time when we were 8." Shadow threatened.

The blood seemed to drain from my face. Shadow once was taken for a test and she had come back covered in blood, a dislocated elbow, and with her wings clipped.

I threw a fit about it all and the next time the whitecoats and erasers came to get me I injured 4 erasers and 3 whitecoats before they had to show me who was boss. I ended up worse then Shadow and she thought it was all her fault. I had told her it wasn't a thousand times but she never did believe me. I never did like talking about that or even thinking about it. I glared at her, "Don't bring that up." I said angrily.

Her face softened slightly and she looked sad, "It wasn't your fault."

"It wasn't yours either," I shot back.

"That's arguable." Shadow said giving me a look.

I felt anger boil in me and my hands formed fists at my side.

Shadow looked at my right fist, where I still had a small scar, which you could only see when I had my hand in a fist, from the whole thing. "Sorry, I can see this is making you angry. I won't bring it up again," she said quietly.

The flock could feel the tension in the air and Max looked just plain awkward.

"Uh, Shadow, my mom is coming and she's going to fix your wing okay?" Max said trying to wash out the awkwardness and failing.

Shadow's eyes widened and she looked at me. She tapped her temple and I sighed and shut my eyes.

_Uh, who is her mom? What does she do? Will I be safe?_ She asked worry in her thoughts.

I nearly sighed; I tried to send her a thought. I screwed up my face in concentration. _Max's mom is a vet. You can trust her._ I thought not quite sure if she got it.

I opened my eyes and Shadow nodded at me and visibly relaxed.

Max looked between us with a raised eyebrow and I sent her a 'later' look.

There was a knock at the door and the flock, who obviously wanted to get away from the awkwardness of the situation, all got up to get the door.

I got up and walked over to the couch and saw down next to Shadow. I grabbed her wing before she could protest and looked at it.

Shadow glared at me, "That hurts you know." She said and I let go at once and I felt bad for hurting her. She rolled her eyes, "It didn't really hurt. Don't be so sensitive," she said.

Of course the whole flock walked in just she said, "Don't be so sensitive," and they all promptly burst out laughing.

"Fang, Sensitive? Oh please! Please don't joke like that," Iggy said nearly falling to the floor.

Shadow watched my face as I made it emotionless. "Are you kidding me? Fang is the most sensitive person I know." She said smiling.

"That's not saying much," I muttered.

She looked at with a sad expression as Mrs. Martinez walked into the room with her equipment. She shot me a quick look of pure fear. I instinctively reached out and grabbed her hand and she squeezed it.

For years I had known that the only thing that Shadow needed in the world was someone to hold her hand when she was scared. Anything could happen to her, but if she had someone to stand beside her and hold her hand she was fine.

Shadow stared off into space as Mrs. Martinez worked with her wing.

I watched her face for any hint of pain. She showed none. _That's my girl_, I thought to her with a smile. She turned her head to look at me. She smirked at me and I could practically feel the pride bubbling inside of her.

Shadow thought that I wasn't proud of her but she didn't know that I thought she was one of the most amazing people I knew. She was tied with Max, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Angel when it came to my amazement.

I was extremely proud of her. _I'm so proud of you Shadow_. I thought with my eyes closed and my head against the back of the couch. I opened my eyes to see her smile at me.

I glanced behind her to Max. I smiled at her. I thanked her with my eyes, if not for Max, I'd be gone a long, long time ago. If not for Max I would have given up a long time ago. If not for Max the world would hold no meaning for me.

I kept eye contract with her for a long time before I blinked twice and looked away.

Finally Mrs. Martinez sighed and said with a smile, "You're done."

Shadow gave her a wobbling smile, "Thanks."

"No problem dear." Mrs. Martinez said smiling.

Shadow glanced at me and squeezed my hand. "You should go to sleep." I said.

Shadow groaned, "Damn it, I forgot how annoying you can be." She grumbled while grinning.

I smirked at her as she got up. She looked at Mrs. Martinez. "Uh, where should I sleep?" She asked her politely.

"Well you can either share a room with Max or Fang." She said.

Shadow glanced at me and then Max, "Uh I don't know." She said looking nervous.

"She can share a room with me." Max said smiling at me and I sent her another look of thanks.

Shadow smiled, "Okay. Where's your room?" Shadow asked.

"I'll show you." Max said smiling before taking Shadow's hand and leading her towards the stairs.

I grinned, maybe Max would accept her. Then I wouldn't have to choose whose side I was on because if I had to choose I'm sure I'd never decide.


	3. Stories and Apologies

Chapter 3

(Max's POV)

I led Shadow to my room. She looked a little frightened of me.

"So… how do you know Fang?" Shadow asked.

"I'm his best friend; I'm the first person who was his friend when Jeb took him," I said.

Shadow smiled, "I guess I should thank you then. I don't know what I would have found… if no one became his friend. The night he was taken… I've never seen anyone so frightened, so worried… so desperate in my life." She said shaking her head.

"He pretty much fell apart when Jeb started pulling him away from me. He started screaming and thrashing around and trying to get to my cage. It was so horrible. I remember how I couldn't stop crying. I couldn't get the image of his frightened, desperate, horrified face out of my mind." She said looking distressed.

"I can sometimes still see it. It is about the only thing that really frightens me." She said looking off into space. She blinked and looked at me. "Am I freaking you out?" She asked with a smile.

I laughed, "Not really." I giving her a pair of pajamas, "Oh, don't be alarmed if Fang comes in here in the night. We don't like to sleep alone and we're the only ones who have separate rooms. So sometimes we stay in each others rooms. Besides he might want to check on you." I said. I rolled my eyes, while smiling.

"I really didn't even know you existed. To think that he is so protective of you that he didn't even tell me," I said shaking my head, "It's pretty hard to comprehend."

Shadow looked kind of sad, "It's my fault he's like that. I'm too reckless. I take too many risks. I make him worried. I make him scared. I used to be the only reason he lived." She said, "It's hard to think of the pain he was in when he was taken from me."

I made a snap decision and hugged her. It was awkward for a second, but then she hugged me back. "What happened when you were 8?" I asked quietly.

Shadow stiffened, "Well… the whitecoats wanted to test my fighting skills. I don't fight that well so I pretty much got the snot beat out of me. I was bleeding all over the place, had a dislocated elbow and they clipped my wings. Fang got really angry with them and himself. I think he blamed himself for not teaching me to defend myself or something. Maybe it was just that he wasn't there to protect me. Anyways, the next time the whitecoats came for him, he took it out on the Whitecoats and Erasers. He injured 4 Erasers and 3 Whitecoats. They beat him worse then me. It was all my fault," She said and I let go of her to see a tear slide down her face.

"They clipped his wings, broke his arm… and a lot of other stuff. They threatened to kill me if he ever did anything like that again. When he got back I couldn't stop crying. You know the scar on his right hand? That can only be seen when he makes a fist? That's from that." She said quietly.

I hugged her again, "Fang's not alone anymore and neither are you. I'm the leader of the flock. I take care of everyone. No one messes with my flock. That includes you now," I said.

She sniffed, "Thanks Max. I can tell Fang likes you. Like… like likes you." She said grinning.

I stared blankly at her.

"To me Fang is an open book. He's my big, annoying, emotionless on the outside, crying on the inside, brother." She smirked.

I smiled, "I know. It's hard to imagine that one boy can have so many secrets for so long. I'm kind of curious to see if there is anything else I should know about him. I'm not sure if I want to know." I said shaking my head.

She nodded, "Well, I should get to bed before Fang comes upstairs. I don't know if you've seen his protective, seriously bossy side." She grinned.

I chuckled, "Ya, okay, I don't know if I want to see that side."

She smiled and got into bed, "Hey, Max," She said and I turned to look at her. "Thanks." She said smiling.

I laughed, "For what?" I asked.

She shrugged, "Keeping Fang sane I guess. Night," she said before closing her eyes.

I smiled at her, she wasn't so bad. I walked downstairs to find the flock.

(Fang's POV)

I sat on the couch and watched TV. Max walked into the room and sat down beside me. "She went to sleep," Max said.

I nodded, "Thanks Max," I said. "I guess you're pretty on edge right now because of Shadow and I." I said feeling kind of guilty.

She surprised me by shaking her head, "Not really. She's your sister I have no reason not trust her. That is if I can still trust you, Mr. Secrets." She said glaring at me.

I sighed, "I'm sorry I never told you Max. I told you though; it wasn't that I thought I couldn't trust you. It's just that I don't want to lose anyone. At the time it seemed like the smartest thing." I said looking her in the eyes.

Max nodded, "I guess I understand, but that doesn't mean you're off the hook."

I smiled at Max and sighed, "There you go again," I said with a smile.

"What?" Max asked looking totally confused, "What did I do?" She asked.

"You just understand me." I said simply and she smiled despite her anger and playfully hit my arm. I watched Max smile. She lit up my world. I could have reached across the small space between us and kissed her, but I didn't. I wasn't sure if Max liked me and I was not about to mess this all up.

Max sent the flock to bed then and I flicked through TV channels. Max plopped down on the couch beside me again, "Fang, come on, bed time." She said.

I just sat there with my eyes drooping shut.

"Don't make me pick you up. Get your keister upstairs," She said, from her tone I could tell she was still pretty ticked off with me.

I groaned and moved my body so I was lying down. "I'm too tired, can't I sleep here?" I asked.

Max groaned and grabbed my arm and pulled. I didn't move. "Fang," Max whined. I groaned and got up.

She led me upstairs and pushed me to my bed. I walked over and fell onto it. I was asleep before I hit the covers.

(Max's POV)

I watched Fang flop onto his bed and start snoring. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "Crazy boy," I muttered and walked to my room.

I walked in and wasn't all that surprised to see Shadow sitting on my, our, bed.

"Hey," She said and stared around the room, "I never knew beds were so comfortable." She said with a smile.

I chuckled, "Your brother pretty much passed out as soon as he landed on the bed. It was pretty funny. Did you know he snores?" I asked as I came to sit with her.

She laughed, "No, I want to see!" She said as she hopped off the bed. She froze as she got to the door, "Do you have a camera?" She asked me with a curious face.

I laughed, "In the drawer right there." I said pointing as I got into bed and lay down.

"Thanks." She said and hopped out of the room.

I shook my head at her and closed my eyes.


	4. The Idea

Chapter 4

(Shadow's POV)

I smiled as I figured out how to take pictures. I opened Fang's door and went inside. I took several pictures of him before leaving the room.

I bumped into someone and immediately blushed. "Oh sorry," I whispered before looking up at Iggy.

He leaned in closer, "Why are we whispering?" He whispered back. "Or should I ask why you were in Fang's room?" He asked in a whispered.

I smiled, "I took a picture of him sleeping. He looks funny when he sleeps." I said.

Iggy smiled. Iggy towered over me but for some odd reason I didn't feel small at all. "I wouldn't know." He said suddenly looking a little upset.

I was silent for a second, "Why is that?" I asked.

"I'm blind." He said before waving a hand in from of his face and grinning.

"Oh, sorry about that," I said. "I guess that really sucks then huh?" I said.

Iggy shrugged, "Ya kind of."

I patted his shoulder feeling bad for him before my eyes widened and I got an idea, "Oh, brilliant idea!" I whispered.

"What?" Iggy asked.

"What if I gave you some of my eye sight?" I asked.

He seemed interested but he frowned, "How would you do that?" He asked.

"I have the ability to take and give power and strength. It's pretty useful when you want some extra energy and stuff." I said nodding.

Iggy laughed, "Nice. Well maybe, run it by Max." He said and started to walk away, "Uh, and you might want to run it by the almighty protector in there." He added jerking his thumb towards Fang's room.

I smiled and blushed, "Ya, I might want to do that. It could be dangerous," I said.

"I'll do anything for my eyes again. Just make sure you don't get hurt." He said giving me a look I didn't understand.

I nodded while smiling before I remembered, "Ya, don't worry about me." I said and he nodded and walked to his room.

I took a deep breath and walked back to my room.

In the morning I actually ate actual pancakes with actual chocolate chips and actual orange juice with an actual fork and knife while sitting in an actual chair on an actual table in an actual kitchen in an actual house with my actual brother.

I couldn't stop smiling.

I walked into the TV room and my eyes nearly popped out of my skull.

"What?" Fang asked when he saw me.

"Is that a stereo?" I asked pointing at the amazing sound system that I didn't notice in the corner.

"Uh, ya," Fang said and I ran over and turned it on.

I bobbed my head to the music. "This is good. It's like a more kick butt version of my life!" I said while nodding and started my version of dancing.

Fang tried to restrain himself from laughing. Nudge and Angel ran over and we all started dancing.

Max and Fang stood there watching us. Gazzy ran over and danced with his sister and Iggy leaned against a wall with his eyes closed and listened.

That reminded me I had to talk to Max and Fang about fixing Iggy's eyes!

I broke away from the dancing and grabbed Max's hand and dragged her into the kitchen.

"Max, I want to fix Iggy's eyes." I said practically bouncing.

"Uh, I'm lost, what?" Max asked.

I sighed, "Did Fang not say anything about me." I practically snarled while glaring at the wall he was behind. "I can transfer power and strength." I said, "See." I said and grabbed a flower from the table and made it wilt. Max watched with wide eyes. Then I made it bloom.

"Cool," Max said nodding. "So you want to somehow transfer power or whatever to Iggy to make him see?" Max asked and I nodded.

Max grinned and nodded, "Okay," she said before she frowned, "Did you ask Fang?"

I bit my lip, "Well… I'm almost certain that he won't allow me to, it's kind of dangerous but I don't care. I'm doing this anyways, but I will tell him." I said.

"Good luck," Max said looking skeptical. "You got my vote though," she added.

I grinned, "Okay, I better deal with the king of spaz attacks then." I said and she grinned and shook her head.

"You're like Fang's opposite." She said shaking her head.

I frowned, "Not really, I'm just more open about my feelings then Fang is." I said before bouncing off into the other room and grabbed Fang's forearm and dragged him into the kitchen. I noticed Iggy 'watching' me.

I smiled and dragged Fang into the kitchen and Max went to watch the little kids dance to music.

"Fang, I'm fixing Iggy's eye sight. No matter what you say," I said watching his eyes for any hint of his emotions.

Fang nodded, "Okay." He surprised me by saying.

I raised an eyebrow, "Why so letting? I thought you'd be having a first class freak out right now." I said suspiciously.

"I've grown up and now I see that you're like Max. You're too stubborn to change your mind. Besides, I want Iggy to get his eyes back too," he said.

I nodded, "So later today then?" I asked him.

He nodded, "If Iggy's ready," he added.

"He is. I talked to him last night. That reminds me… you're hilarious when you sleep," I said.

He glared at me, "What?" He asked.

I took the digital camera out of my back pocket and showed him his picture. "I like the little drool you got going there." I said drawing a line along his drool.

He glared and said in that deadly tone that should have made shivers of fear go down my back, "Shadow, give me the camera."

"Make me," I said exaggeratingly pronouncing each word.

He glared and ran after me. I ran and we both ran through the TV room. "Give! Me! The! Camera!" He shouted and I laughed as the flock watched us run.

"Who wants to see sleeping Fang pictures?" I asked as I ran around the room.

Max grinned and I tossed her the camera. She tried to hold it out of Fang's reach before tossing it to Gassy who barely caught it before handing it to Nudge who threw it like a hot potato to me.

I laughed as Fang tackled me to the couch and wrenched the camera out of my hand and deleted the pictures.

"Don't mess with me when it comes to funny pictures little sis." He said.

"Don't mess with a girl who can suck the life out of ya big bro." I said and grabbed his wrists and his eyes drooped before I shot it back into him. He jumped and glared at me. I pushed him off me and danced away from him.

"Oh Iggy, the thing we talked about last night is a go." I said, "So get ready and in 15 minutes get ready to see the world." I said before cart wheeling into the kitchen.

Ella walked past me in the kitchen; I hi-fived her on the way up the stairs.

I let them stare after me in confusion. I haven't had so much fun since… ever!

I shook my hands out in my room. I stood in the light of the sun and started sucking the energy out of the sunlight.

Kind of creepy sounding I know, but I would need it.

If anything went wrong we both could end up blind. By Fang's easy going about this I knew he was freaked but he was trying to do the right thing for Iggy. I closed my eyes and centered myself.

I took a deep breath and I heard a knock. I opened my eyes to see Fang standing there.

"You'll be fine." He said with a smile.

"Not if I make us blind," I said in monotone.

"You wont, I won't let you." Fang said fiercely.

"You can push nature," I challenged.

"Have you _seen_ our backs?"

"I didn't mean other people. I meant just you."

"Just because I'm not others means I can't do something?"

"No, you just don't have the power to back up your wants."

"Yes, but I have more then enough determination."

"Determination doesn't cut it in the real world."

"Those are big words for someone who's only been out in it for about a day."

"You've been living in another world for as long as I have. Who says this is the real world? As far as I can tell this is still fantasy land where bird kids fly around being chased by wolf monsters. How is that real? How is that normal?"

"Real and Normal are _not_ the same thing, besides its more real then the lie they tell everyone else."

"It's also more dangerous then the lie."

Fang took a deep breath, "Unfortunately it's the world we live in. You just have to work with it. If you try to live in the normal world now, you'll only get heart ache." He said, "I've tried, it only ended in pain." He pulled me into a hug and I hung on. "I'll protect you. I won't let anything happen to you." He said.

I nodded into his chest. I took a deep breath, "I'm ready." I said.

He nodded and took my hand and we walked downstairs.

We reached the bottom of the stairs when the doorbell rang. I looked at Fang who had his eyes closed. He opened them and said, "Max! Don't open it!" He shouted but she already did.

Jeb stood there and he stared at me with cold eyes.


	5. Every Action Has Consequences

Chapter 5

(Fang's POV)

Shadow was rooted to the spot and I let out a low growl.

Jeb glared at me, "You fool!" He shouted at me, "Do you know how much danger you've put yourselves?" He asked with a glare.

"She's not going back," I said and held onto her hand. I stepped in front of her.

Max looked prepared to fight.

I watched his face. Jeb pushed his hair out of his eyes, "Fang, if you're around her now you're in danger," He said.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Sure, sure, and I'm the tooth fairy." I glared at him.

"You're the what?" Gassy yelled from the TV room. Max, Shadow and I all rolled our eyes at the same time.

"Fang, if certain people find out where you two are then the world will be in chaos!" Jeb shouted at me.

I glared at him, "Ya? What would they do? Why should you care?" I snarled.

"If Itex finds you two they'll use you to kill people." Jeb snarled at me.

"Fang? Why? How?" Shadow asked with a frown.

"It's a power he's had since birth, it's the reason he can stand so much pain," Jeb said.

"What is it?" Max asked.

"Basically he can control pain but he can't control it until he gets a taste of true pain," Jeb said.

"Unfortunately for you, I don't care," I snarled. He looked like he was going to explode with anger. "You're not getting anywhere near her." I said while shaking my head.

Jeb glared at me and said, "You're fault if they catch you. Please don't get caught. If you do the director or someone else will use you two." He said.

I watched him leave.

"Should we go?" Shadow asked looking nervous.

I looked at Max who shook her head.

"Let's get Iggy some eye sight." I said rubbing my hands together.

Shadow giggled and ran into the living room.

5 minutes later Iggy and Shadow were sitting across from each other on the floor. "Okay, Iggy, it's important that you stay really, really still. If you don't this could go really, really bad." Shadow said.

He nodded and became almost like stone.

"I'm going to place my hands on your eyes and give you some of my eye sight. We should both end up with perfect vision. If this is done right," She said.

He gave one stiff nod.

"Once I'm done, I'll remove my hands. You can open your eyes and tell me if you're still blind," she said.

He smiled and nodded again.

She looked at us, "Don't touch me if you don't want your life sucked out of you. I can give it back but I'd rather not after this I'll be tired." She said and placed her fingers on Iggy's eyes. She slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. They became like stone of the floor.

The flock, Mrs. Martinez and Ella all watched them.

I watched them from the wall. The light above us flickered and burnt out.

"Fang, was that supposed to happen?" Max asked in a whisper.

"No," I said slowly. I closed my eyes, "But they want us to think it is," I said.

They were all silent. "Angel, can you sense the Eraser outside?" I asked in a whisper, my eyes closed.

She whispered back, "yes."

"There are flyboys with him I think." I whispered.

I could see Angel nod despite the darkness.

"Flock," Max whispered taking control. "Get ready," she whispered.

I got into fight position. There was lightening outside and I used the second of light to see around the room.

The flock was ready for a fight. Shadow and Iggy were motionless. Ella and her mom were huddled together in the corner out of harms way.

The last thing I had seen was the really creepy outline of a bunch of flyboys and an eraser behind the window across from us.

The Eraser and Flyboys crashed through the window snarling as and such the light came on again. We all jumped strait into the fight.


	6. The Boy

Disclaimer: I dont own Maximum Ride

Claimer: I own this plot, Shadow and Sorrow.

Chapter 6

(Shadow's POV)

I breathed deeply sucking the energy out the air and forced it through my fingers to Iggy one last time.

I let my fingers drop and I opened my eyes.

Iggy was staring back at me.

"Can you see?" I asked.

"Oh my God, you're even more beautiful then I imagined." He said slowly and leaned in.

I grinned and leaned in too. My lips were nearly brushing his before I heard the noise around us. The flock was locked in a fight.

"Oh," I gasped, "We better help." I whispered to Iggy who grinned and nodded.

He got up and helped me up.

"Let's kick some butt." Iggy said grinning. His hand still had mine in it. I grinned up at him and nodded.

(Fang's POV)

I grabbed a torn off arm of a flyboy and swung it at another's head.

The head snapped off and the flyboy crumpled to the ground.

"Mom, Ella!" Max scream suddenly cut through the chaos.

I looked up to find her. I got kicked in the side and I sucked in a breath. Shadow was all over the thing in a second. Punches here, punches there, such form, it made me proud. Iggy watched Shadow's back and I moved through the crowd to find Max.

I found her locked in a battle with the only Eraser. A flyboy held a squirming Ella and another held Mrs. Martinez.

I ran forward and attacked the flyboy holding Mrs. Martinez. I spun us into the kitchen. He let go of her and charged at me. I ran to the sink and grabbed the hose. I turned on the water and full blasted it.

Sparks shot everywhere and the thing crumpled to the ground like the heap of garbage it is.

I ran into the other room without even looking at Mrs. Martinez.

I ran to Ella's Flyboy. He threw Ella to the ground and the flyboy ran at me. In seconds I was blocking and trying to rewire that hunk of junk. I suddenly felt a shocking pain in my side. I staggered and looked down at the knife that was plunged into my side. I looked at the flyboy with a look of confusion.

The flyboy round kicked me hard on my other side and I cried out. I fell to my knees. There was a pool of blood around me. I lost all energy and fell to the floor.

The last thing I heard was Max shouting my name.

(Max's POV)

I stared at Fang for a second. I smacked my hands over the Erasers ears and ran to the flyboy who had turned back to Ella. I kicked it in the lower back and it snapped it half.

I knelt beside Fang and grabbed his hand.

"Fang, Fang, please, come on, wake up, come on, Fang." I pleaded.

His eyes flickered open and shut again. "Max," He whispered.

I shushed him, "Don't speak." I said. He looked in so much pain. It hurt me to see him like that.

"Max… I need… to tell you," he said wincing.

"What is it?" I asked.

_I love you, Max. I wish I told you earlier, but if this is the end for me I want you to know._ He thought to me.

I gasped and squeezed his hand. I leaned down and as soon as I whispered the words I knew they were true, "I love you too." Tears sparkled at my eyes and brushed them away with the back of my eyes.

I watched as he tried to smile before he winced and said, "Shadow."

I gulped, "I'll take care of her." I promised.

He nodded and he closed his beautiful brown eyes. I wondered sadly if I'd ever see them again.

"Mom, help, please!" I screamed and she was at my side in a second.

She felt his forehead and she hissed something under her breath. "Do you have a knife?" She asked.

I reached in Fang's pocket and gave her his switch blade.

She cut away his black, slowly getting dark red, shirt.

She examined the wound before looking at Ella and saying, "Get my kit from the bathroom." Ella took off faster then I'd have thought possible for a human.

I heard a shriek and Shadow was suddenly beside me and freaking out. "What happened?" She asked tears bubbling at her eyes.

"Flyboy stabbed him," I said and we watched mom.

Mom took some of Fang's shirt to wipe up his sweat and blood.

"Is he still breathing?" Shadow asked.

Mom nodded and felt his pulse and then grabbed mine with the other hand. "It's just a little irregular from Max's," she said. "Now, I'm no doctor but I've dealt with some pretty serious pet injuries. So, I should be able to fix this," she said.

We both nodded, I reached out and snagged Shadow's hand. Shadow seemed to calm almost immediately. I wondered why, I mean I'm just holding her hand. That shouldn't help that greatly. One minute she's freaking next she looks as cool as a cucumber.

Ella brought her the kit and mom got to work. She pulled the knife out and did her work quickly.

I watched in amazement at how fast she was. I noticed Shadow let go of my hand and reached out and touch Fang's forearm. She looked like she was tired in a second.

I realized what she was doing and yanked her arm off Fang. "Don't, he'll be fine, you don't need to hurt yourself," I said.

She nodded looking sad anyways and grabbed my hand again. In a few minutes Fang was all stitched up and the flyboys were on their way out the door. Iggy rushed over and Shadow jumped up and went over to him. He pulled her into a hug and she watched Fang from his arms.

I let that one go. I didn't know how Fang would react to that. How fang _will_ react to that.

Mom got Iggy, Shadow and I to bring him upstairs. We lay him in his bed and Shadow and I walked off to our room. I had to discuss this Iggy thing with her anyways.

(Fang's POV)

I was floating through space until I saw a vaguely familiar face. It was me, only a few years younger. I was pleading with someone I couldn't see. Everything was like it was under fog. It was hard to see but I could make out the inside of a cottage.

Suddenly the boy, I, was hit by this huge bulky guy and I fell to the ground and begged.

I watched as I got hit over and over again.

I could see black feathers all over the place and I felt a twang of pain as I saw them. I noticed my back had mangled wings on them and my ankle was swollen. Was it broken? Where the hell was I?

The man spoke, "You will help us, Sorrow."

"Never," I shouted at him and I was hit again.

I watched as the world seemed to fade.

The world suddenly came clear and I was staring at the ceiling of my room.

I sat up and cringed. I looked down at the bandage against my side. My mouth dropped open. Yes, I'm alive!

Wait! I told Max I love her! I realized. I felt like screaming and punching myself in the face for my idiocy.

She said she loved me.

I felt like singing.

I rubbed my side as I got up. I staggered and I winced. I grabbed a hold of the desk beside my bed. God this hurts, I thought.

The door opened, Shadow ran over to me and hugged me lightly. I could tell she was worried about hurting me.

"Oh my God, I thought you'd never wake up." She cried onto my bare chest. Her tears fell off her face and onto me.

I shushed her and rubbed her back, "What's wrong?" I asked her softly.

"You were asleep for 2 days and… you wouldn't wake up. It worried me." She said tears making her shake and I knew I seriously freaked the crap out of her. She would never admit something scared her.

I rubbed her back, "I'm fine," I said and shushed her again.

She nodded obviously comforted, "I fixed Iggy's eyes." She said smiling. "And Max says I have to tell you that Iggy and I are going out now." She added. "And there's nothing you can do about it." She added forcefully.

_There's the Shadow I know_, I thought with a smile. I looked down at her, "Do you really like him?" I asked her.

She nodded, "A lot, he likes me too." She said leaning against me.

I nodded, "Cool." I said smiling at her.

"So, you're cool with this?" She asked trying to make sure.

I nodded, "Yep, go for it." I said grinning.

She grinned broadly, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She said grinning and kissed my cheek softly. "Kay big bro, get ready and come downstairs, everyone is dying to see you."

"I'd hope not," I said with a smirk and she gave me a look before she bounced off.

I stood in my room and felt odd. Every time I closed my eyes I saw his face, my face, crumpled in pain.

What the hell was that about? I asked myself. That had never happened to me. What was it with 'Sorrow'? It all left me back at square one, what the hell was all that?

I sighed and got dressed. I walked stiffly downstairs and I think Max noticed my stiffness and my pain and came and subtly supported some of my weight.

Shadow smiled at me and Iggy's eyes lit up at seeing me. I waved at him with a smile and went to sit next to my not-so-blind-anymore friend.

We ate and I took it slowly. My stomach and throat felt like it was scraped raw with a chisel.

After the table cleared I noticed Ella watching me. "Uh, hey," I said feeling really confused.

"You might have saved my life." She muttered, "Thanks. You put your life in danger for me. No one has ever done anything close to that for me." She said with obvious gratitude.

"No big," I said.

"No, way big, I've seen the way Max looks when you mention Jeb and stuff. I see the pain in your eyes when I say his name too. I see the rainbow of emotions in your eyes when I mention Whitecoats and Erasers. You might have just saved me from that pain." Ella said quietly.

"I was just doing what I do," I said.

"Then you're amazing. Max really loves you. Take care of my big sister." Ella said before walking away.

I sat there shocked for a minute before getting up slowly and going to find the flock. They were watching TV and I sat down. Sleep was calling me again, but I put it on hold. My eyes drooped, but I blinked them open.

Max shook my shoulder and said, "Fang, are you sure you don't need more sleep? Mom said you'll probably wake up but need to sleep again."

"I'm fine," I said repressing a yawn.

She gave me a stern look, but dropped it for now.

I suddenly felt a crushing pain and I screamed and fell to my knees.

Chaos broke out in my head and I screamed and fell flat on the floor.

I saw the boy, me, again.

I think I could hear the flock's confusion.

He was screaming and his right arm was dislocated. I winced and I felt a shock wave of pain.

He pushed his arm back and panted on the floor. He was kicked and someone shouted, "Do it!"

"No!" He shrieked and I felt myself shriek it too.

They kicked him again. I screamed as I felt pain rock through my body. It was just flashes of pain from many different people and the only clear one was the boy.

I shrieked and thrashed around on the floor. It was like my head was slowly exploding over and over again. I wondered if it was like that for Max.

"Max!" I screamed and I tried to move. I felt the arms restraining me.

Sorrow or whoever screamed and so did I. I heard another voice in my head. _Fang, calm down, this is your power, the one you were born with._ Jeb's voice rang in my head. I screamed in frustration this time. I heard Max yelling at someone and I shrieked bloody murder as pain shot through me again. _Fang, listen to me, you can control this, and you can push the pain back. This is other people's pain. You get half of it. You can use it. You can send it to people. After a while it all adds up and shocks you all at once._ Jeb tried to tell me in my head.

I screamed, "Max! Get him out of my head!" I screamed trying to hold my hands to the sides of my skull.

_Fang, the whitecoats are going to give you these pills they'll hold off the pain. The flock is being taken by Erasers. There's nothing I can do. The whitecoats who are restraining you can't know I'm on the other side._ I heard Jeb say in my head.

_Sure, there's nothing you can do!_ I screamed in my head and thrashed harder against the arms restraining me.

I felt pressure near the joint of my jaw and I instinctively opened my mouth. I felt pills enter my mouth and I tried to spit them out. A large hand covered my mouth to preventing me to do exactly that.

I shook my head violently from side to side. I refused to swallow them but then I felt a hand brushing down my throat a certain way and I instinctively swallowed.

My mouth opened and I bit down on the hand. Over the screaming in my ears I heard someone yell in anger and pain. I tasted blood and let go of the hand. I was backhanded and I screamed in fury and tried to pull my arms and legs away from the whitecoats.

The pain started to flutter away. I lay there weakly. I drifted into the black.

When I awoke I was in the back of a truck. My head was in someone's lap. I moaned and I felt a hand against my forehead, "Fang?" Max's voice rang through the dark.

I groaned again. "Good God is this what one of those head aches feels like?" I moaned. I felt two sets of arms lifting me into a sitting position. I leaned against Max's shoulder as a wave of exhaustion flowed through me. "Where are we?" I asked. My voice was scraped raw from screaming.

"In a van heading towards the school," Max said sounding pissed.

"Are you okay Fang?" Shadow asked and I reached in the dark to find her hand. I snagged it and held onto it.

"I'm fine," I said as my eyes finally adjusted and I could see them slightly. "Jeb's a bastard though." I snarled.

Shadow smiled at me and shuffled closer to me.

I noticed dark shading around her right eye and I zeroed in on it in a second.

"What happened to your eye?" I whispered and brushed my fingers over the dark shading.

Shadow smiled sheepishly.

"She started beating the crap out of the flyboys when the whitecoats started restraining you." Iggy answered, "Everyone had to keep away from her if you didn't want to be hit." He sniggered and she punched his arm lightly.

He chuckled at her and I rolled my eyes.

The van pulled to a sharp stop right then and we all held out our hands to brace our fall.

The door opened and I blinked to get used to the light.

"Get out," The flyboy's droned.

I was pulled up by Max and we hopped out of the back of the van. I shielded my eyes from the sunlight. I spotted Jeb. He looked frustrated.

A flyboy grabbed my left forearm and tugged me away from Max. I looked around a suddenly wave of irrational fear hit me. I shook it off and planted my feet.

"Get off me!" Max shouted as a flyboy started to pull her away. Another flyboy pulled out a gun and she stopped fighting.

"Leave her alone!" I shouted and pulled against the flyboy.

"You will go." A flyboy droned at me pointing a gun at me.

"Fang, just follow their orders," Jeb said looking pained.

"No! Never," I shouted and pulled harder.

A flyboy swung its gun at my head and I moved my head quickly. The Whitecoats were watching me and I ignored them.

The flyboy holding me tightened its grip and another punched me in the face. My head snapped to the side and I let my head drop. I tried to lift my head but I was too weak. The flyboys dragged me away. I got one last glance of Shadow, Nudge, Angel and Max all being dragged in the opposite direction of me, Iggy and Gassy.


	7. 10 Again

**WOOT! I would just like to thank all you who have replayed and all that! I LOVE YOU!!! Hugs for all!!! Alright… back to business!**

**But first… I LOVE THIS PART! Sorry, I love depression. Writing it I mean… it's what I'm **_**really**_** good at. Alright…. **

**OH! And if you got something to suggest or whatever… say it! Your opinions matter and I take what you say into consideration!!!**

**That's all I got to say.**

**HAPPY READING!**

Chapter 7

(Fang's POV)

They threw me into a room and I lay on the ground where they threw me. I didn't even move as Iggy came over to see if I had any injuries.

"You're fine." He said but I felt broken.

I held back the tears in my eyes until they started to pool over like dangerous rapids. Gassy and Iggy glanced at each other before helping me up. I went and sat on a bed. That's right, a bed. I just sat there and didn't move. I let my tears fall and never stop.

Iggy said something. He waved a hand in front of my face. I didn't even blink. He looked worried. He pushed me down and I lay on the bed without moving. Iggy frowned and said something again. It looked like my name but I wasn't sure. His finally broke through, "Fang is it worse then before we knew you when we were 10?" He asked.

I nodded and moaned and the tears burst from my eyes faster and stronger. I was shaking now and I brought my hands to my face and let my tears fall.

Iggy and Gassy looked at each other. They were scared now.

_Flashback_

I was 10 again. I was sitting in my cage; Shadow was sitting beside me and humming along to her own music.

A whitecoat burst into our room and started fiddling with my cage. I knew him, kind of. He was Jeb. Ya, I knew him from his first name. He took it upon himself to make sure I survived.

He grabbed my leg and pulled me out of my cage. I closed my eyes and saw his plan. I turned to Shadows cage and started to open it when he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me along. I started screaming and thrashing around in his arms. He clamped a hand over my mouth and carried me out of the room. I looked one last time at Shadow and reached out into open space to reach her. I might never see her again.

He dragged me out of the room before dropping me lightly to the floor and grabbed my hand and dragged me along until was found a bunch of other kids.

There was a blond girl, a tall pail blond boy, a dark skinned girl, a scruffy little boy and a littler girl who looked like the scruffy one.

I had no time to ask anything. We were all shepherded along the hallway.

Jeb led us to a van and we all climbed in. I sat far away from everyone and let my tears fall. Around Shadow I was never afraid to cry if it got too bad. She would understand. Around these new people… it felt… weird, like I wasn't allowed to.

They all thought they were happy ones because we were free now, but I knew better. Even with all these people around me I was alone, and so was Shadow.

I wiped them away and I told myself to be strong. I'd save her one day.

I fell asleep and when I awoke I was being shaken awake by the blond girl. "We're here, hi, I'm Max by the way," she said. She smiled at me.

I just blinked. I got up and followed them out of the car. I knew she was confused by the fact that I didn't say anything.

She even looked a little pissed off.

I dismissed it. I had no more room in my heart to feel bad for offending her.

I chose a room that only had one bed. It also had a lock. I locked the door as soon as I entered it. The room has a window that faced north. There was a nice few of the mountains from it.

I sat on my bed and didn't move from it for a week.

Jeb brought me my meals, but I didn't eat them. He tried to talk me into doing stuff but I just watched him. I was slowly starving. I was turning to skin and bones. Jeb could see it and it hurt him. Or it looked like it hurt him anyways.

Sometimes he'd just stay and talk to me. He'd ask questions trying to get a word out of me.

Eventually I took the bait a couple times.

I never saw the other kids and they never saw me. The only time I saw glimpses of them was when they were playing outside and I could see them from the window. Sometimes they saw me then too, but I would always move so they couldn't.

I also walked around the house at night; that's how I learnt to be quiet.

Once morning I woke up and I was hungry. I was still depressed. I never left my room much when I was depressed like this. When I was happier I would go out and wander the house more.

I sighed and dragged my feet to the door.

I opened the door and I left it open. I looked at my skin. I was pail as a ghost. I walked a few steps before I stopped.

I felt a tingle on the back of my neck. I turned slowly to see the blond girl, Max, staring at me.

I froze and we watched each other.

My breathing quickened and I ran into my room and locked the door. My breathing slowed as I backed away to the bed. I sat down and wrapped my arms around my legs and put my head on my knees.

I heard a knock and I shouted, "Go away!"

I heard a soft as velvet voice reply, "Can't I talk to you?"

"No! Leave me alone!" I shouted and hid my face more.

"Please?" She asked and I was silent.

I heard her walk away and I heard two people walk by my door. I listened to rustling outside the door and I frowned. What the heck? I walked to the door and flung the door open. I saw the tall blond kid leaning over where my lock should be and girl watching.

I glared at him, "What are you doing?" I asked angrily.

"Uh," the blond boy grinned sheepishly, "Nothing?"

I rolled my eyes, "Looks like you're picking my lock." I accused. I flung my door open wide and walked into my room. "You may as well come in, you'll get in anyways," I grumbled. I sat on my bed.

They closed the door and came and sat on the other end.

"So, my name is Max." She said, "This is Iggy." She added.

"And you are?" Iggy asked after I was silent for a minute.

"Fang," I said shortly.

"Cool name." Iggy said nodding.

Max and I rolled our eyes.

"So, why did you hide for such a long time?" Max asked.

I was silent for a minute before saying, "I… don't really get along with people usually," I said which was very true.

"Well if you tried." Iggy said and Max smacked his arm.

"No, he's right. I guess I'm just antisocial that's all." I said and they both frowned. I sighed, "Someone who doesn't enjoy hanging out with people." I explained.

"How do you know that?" Iggy asked.

I grinned, "What did you think I was doing in this room all this time?" I asked. "I read," I said and motioned to the bookcases beside my bed.

Max nodded. "He's got a bunch of bookcases full of books Iggy." Max told him.

"Oh, cool," Iggy said.

"Iggy's blind if you didn't know." Max said and I nodded.

"Sorry, bet that really sucks huh?" I said and he nodded.

"Weren't you lonely?" Max asked suddenly.

I looked up at her, "Yes." I said softly.

"Then why didn't you at least try to talk to us?" Max asked pain in her eyes.

Tears welled up in my eyes, "Because… I've lost everyone I've ever cared about."

"So, it's not so much that you don't get along with people it's you don't want to be more hurt?" Iggy asked looking confused.

"I've spent months in here letting my misery eat me alive. I've let myself drive myself into depression. I don't want friends anymore. They more people that leave me the worse it is," I said and the tears escaped my eyes.

Suddenly arms were around me. "I won't leave you." Max said in my ear, "You don't need to be afraid or worried. I'll help you," she said.

I smiled and hugged her back.

She let go and I wiped my eyes. A few minutes later Jeb opened my door.

"Oh," He gasped when he saw Max and Iggy. "Hello guys," Jeb said, "Breakfast will be ready in 15 minutes." He sent me a look that told me I didn't have to come.

"Okay," Max said and he left, "Are you going to come?" She asked me a strange light in her eyes.

I shrugged and then after a second nodded.

"Cool," She said grinning.

15 minutes later Max grabbed my hand and we walked into the kitchen.

The other kids looked up. The kids there stared at me with shock and fear.

I felt awkward, my palms started to get sweaty. "Uh, maybe…" I began but Max started pulling me towards the table.

Iggy brushed past me and Max's hand slipped from my hand. I felt fear snake through me like poison.

The kids were staring at me. I glanced at Jeb but he was faced towards the stove. I could smell the eggs and sausages he was making.

Finally the little dark skinned girl snapped and she shouted, "Oh my God! It's ghost kid!"

I felt my face go pail. Jeb and I turned at the same time. I bolted for my room and I heard a chair scrape back followed by 4 more. Then I heard running footsteps before I felt Jeb's arms around me. I was so close to the door.

I reached out and my fingers skimmed my doorknob. Max was beside Jeb and I heard her tried to calm me but the only thing I could focus on was my doorknob. I wrenched Jeb's hand off me and I bit it. He gasped and let go of me. I threw opened my door and flung myself inside before slamming the door behind me. I locked the door and I could feel the door shaking as Jeb tried to get me to open it.

I was crying and I didn't even notice. I sat on my bed and sobbed quietly.

I missed Shadow. I missed her voice, I missed her smile, I missed the way she talked and I missed the way that even though I would tell her that I was older and that I comforted her and not the other way around she still comforted me when I was sad or hurt.

After 15 minutes, and everyone had left my door, I walked to the door and opened it.

I walked into the kitchen and smiled at the plate Jeb had left out for me.

I ate slowly. Emotions passed through me and sometimes I was close to tears and sometimes the anger was blinding.

I heard Jeb's heavy footsteps and I looked up to see him leaning against the doorway.

He sighed, "Well that was interesting."

I swallowed my food, "I don't like it when people stare."

He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, "They're outside I told them that you're no different then they are. They should treat you fine now," he said.

I nodded, "I got to get this over with anyways. I can't hold onto my pain anymore." I sighed, "I know why I can't tell them about her. So I might as well try to forget her right?" I said sourly and I got up and walked past him.

"Fang," Jeb tried to say, reaching for my hand, but I pushed his hand away and walked outside. I walked into the sunlight for the first time in a long time.

I saw the flock and waved and the rest is history…

_End of Flashback_

(Iggy's POV)

Man, I was worried now. Fang was basically just a dead body lying on his bed. He said it was worse then when we didn't know him when we were ten. That means that he is totally miserable. Plus he had let himself eat himself or something back then.

That means he's like fifty feet below hell right now.

This is bad.

Damn it I miss Shadow. She is the single most beautiful, creative, funny, awesome girl I have ever met.

Gassy keeps glancing between Fang and I and I don't know why.

Damn it we need Max. She's the only one who can drag Fang out of this. Otherwise he's just a zombie.

This could get apelike ugly on us.


	8. The Power of Literature

Chapter 8

(Max's POV)

I felt so alone, even with Nudge, Angel, Shadow _and_ Total with me.

Shadow seems unable to stop the flow of tears that drips from her eyes. It's always something. It's not her fault. She keeps screaming at herself to stop crying, but she can't.

Then out of no where Angel grabs her hand and she slowly stops crying and is totally fine.

What the hell is with that? Does she have some sort of calming thing in her hand? I mean you grab it and she's as cool as ice or something.

I would have to remember to ask Fang about that when I see him again and I will see him again.

I sighed, I was seriously depressed. I had some idea of how much this would be eating Fang right now. He'd been positively giddy with Shadow around and now he's 'lost' us both.

This must be killing him.

Damn it. If only I could hug him and tell him everything would be okay.

I wondered what that whole screaming and thrashing around on the floor thing was about. Was that the 'true pain' and 'power' crap Jeb was talking about?

I sighed and flopped onto my bed and the door opened and a whitecoat came in and said, "You'll attend our school tomorrow and here is your schedule." She said and handed me a piece of paper. I guess we all had the same classes but it was all the same for all of us.

I sighed; maybe I would see the others when we went to 'school.' I mean I never knew the school had a school. It should be interesting.

(Iggy's POV)

I watched Fang waste away on his bed. He just lay there all day and all night and only occasionally got up to use the bathroom. I tried to get him to eat but he just stared off into the distance and ignored me or didn't even hear me.

It was hard to see him in such pain. I wondered if he was silent suffering from that other pain thing too.

He got thinner every day and I got more worried as he became a skeleton. Gassy was constantly afraid but tried to keep it together. I kept him company and tried to get him to forget about Fang's current condition.

On the sixth day 2 whitecoats came in, one I didn't know and Jeb.

I watched them like a hawk. I moved and sat on Fang's bed. Gassy hurried over.

Jeb nodded very subtly to me. "We've noticed Fang hasn't eaten in 6 days." The other whitecoat said.

I felt a twang of pain. 6 days was almost a week of starving and it must feel like 3 weeks of starving. He should be dead or dead soon. I couldn't believe this was happening.

"So we've come to either force feed him or give him something to keep him alive." The whitecoat said kind of threateningly.

I glanced at Fang. His eyes hadn't even moved from the spot in the wall he constantly stared at.

"Are you sure he's not dead?" The whitecoat asked and fear cursed under my skin.

"He's alive, he's breathing," Jeb spoke.

Fang blinked and for one of the first times in six days Fang's eyes moved. He looked at Jeb and then me. His eyes seemed to plead with me; I didn't know what to do. His eyes moved to Gassy and the other whitecoat and then back to Jeb. Fang watched Jeb, there was not light in his eyes. They were dead.

Just like his spirit.

Jeb was watching Fang's eyes too. Fang's eyes seem to be pained for a second and he looked back at that exact place on the wall again.

"Iggy and Gassy, you two are going to go to the schooling program we have. Here's your schedule." The other whitecoat said and gave us a piece of paper.

Jeb leaned down in Fang's sight and Fang blinked and looked away looking pained again.

"They're fine," Jeb said softly. "Are you hungry?" Jeb asked softly and quietly. He moved to touch Fang's hand that lay limply on his bed. He placed his hand on Fang's hand.

Fang's hand pulled away from Jeb's. Fang looked even more pained. His eyes were desperate and afraid. They were full of pain and misery. They were full of sorrow. "You've already destroyed my heart. Do you want my sanity too?" Fang said in monotone with a hint of deep suffering.

Jeb was silent for a minute. "You don't have to hurt yourself," Jeb said so comfortingly it hurt me. I had missed him when he was gone and he was still using that soft and kind voice. "Do you want something to eat?" Jeb asked. There was silence for a few minutes. Fang looked so small and weak on his bed. He looked so miserable, so full of pain. He looked close to tears. Jeb stood up and said to the other whitecoat, "Get me a plate of food."

The whitecoat nodded and left in a hurry. He came back and Jeb took the plate from him.

Jeb picked up a fry and ate it to prove it wasn't poisonous or anything.

Gassy sniffed the air and smiled at the smell of the food. I watched closely not missing a single movement. The other whitecoat left and Fang and Jeb just stared at each other.

Finally Jeb sighed and placed the food beside Fang's hand. "Eat," Jeb ordered and I rolled my eyes. Sure, that would work.

Fang just lay there and ignored him. Jeb sighed cast me a pleading look and left.

I went and sat there next to him. I was hungry so I stole a fry and ate it. I watched him and he watched me.

I smiled at him, "This place isn't total hell." I said and he just watched me in obvious disbelief. "I mean it could be worse," I said but by the look on his face I guessed he thought different. "Come on, we'll see them again, it's not like they're dead," I said. "We should find a way to get out of here," I said thoughtfully.

He showed no interest. God, this was hard and it was about to get a whole lot sadder.

"Fang, please, I'm begging here, just eat something," I begged. I got down on my knees, "I'm on my knees here! Please! Fang! Come on, please! Eat something!" I begged.

I saw the pained look in his eyes and I felt defeated. To my surprise his hand moved and grabbed a fry and ate it.

I felt ignited with hope. "Thank you," I breathed I was still upset by all this but took was I got.

Unfortunately he only ate one fry but what was I going to do? I wasn't going to resort to force feeding… yet.

The next day flyboys came to escort Gassy and myself to 'school' or whatever.

I glanced on last time at Fang before leaving.

(Fang's POV)

The deep emotions that ran deep like the river at the bottom of the grand cannon broke loose as soon as Iggy and Gassy left; I let my tears escape my eyes.

I sobbed for a good hour. I was starving but there was worse pain, like being away from Max and Shadow.

Hadn't Max promised to never leave me? All those years ago back at the house? I'd left her once, but that was out of fear and anger and I'd regretted that every minute of my existence. Although Max didn't want this it still stung like hell.

Also I kept seeing 'Sorrow' or whoever. What the hell is with that kid? He gets beat every day now! It hurt my heart to see him in such pain.

It had hurt my heart yesterday when Jeb talked to me.

I was skin and bones now. I reached out and ate another cold hard fry. It's not like I tasted it anyways.

I curled into a ball and closed my eyes. I didn't want to stay in this world anymore. In my dreams I could get distracted. I could drift away from myself and feel things from another's eyes.

Although it was always pain that I felt I didn't half mind it.

After a dream which I watched Sorrow get beaten to a pulp I opened my eyes. I saw a book lying close to my hand.

I picked it up. I had never read this book.

It was a novel. I opened the book and let the pages flutter to the beginning.

My eyes read along the first sentence and then along the first paragraph and before I knew it I was done the first chapter. I was engrossed in it, anything to get my mind off the pain.

I spent the morning just reading. I groaned and rolled to my other shoulder and let my wings out. I sat up on my bed. I leaned my back against the wall and put my book on my knees and started reading again. I finished the book within the next hour and I sat there as the depression started to creep on me again.

A whitecoat walked in with a plate of food. And a book. _Hallelujah!_ I thought as she put them both down. I picked up the book. It was the squeal. Well what d'ya know...

I flipped open the book and used one of my hands to pick stuff off my plate.

I lost track of time. I was too captivated with the fiction and the emotions and the plot line and everything!

Iggy and Gassy were pushed into the room and they stared at me a long time before I looked up at them.

I raised an eyebrow at them and went back to the book. I reached blindly for food. I picked up a carrot and put it in my mouth.

I think I stunned them.

Iggy grabbed the book from my hands and tried to pull it away. IT WAS THE FREAKING CLIMAX! You don't take away a kid's book at the climax!

I held onto it and let my eyes brush over the words.

Iggy's voice broke through my reading, "Fang?"

I let my shoulders fall and I sighed. I dog eared the page and looked up at him, "Ya?" I asked him my voice sounded like it was sent through a blender. I cleared my voice, "Ya?" I asked again.

He looked at Gassy with a stunned and awed look.

"What is it Iggy?" I asked I sounded slightly irritated.

"Why are you… all… normal?" He asked obviously confused.

I shrugged and moved to pick up the book again but Iggy placed a pail hand over it and lifted it to look at it. "This is the second of the series," Iggy muttered with a hint of confusion and surprise.

"Ya, I read the first one in the morning," I said. I felt small and I wasn't exactly sure why.

Iggy nodded, "So are you going to school tomorrow?" He asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know… did you see the others?" I asked depression creeping on me again.

"No," Iggy answered sounding pained.

"Then maybe… I don't know if I'll be able to last the whole day." I said feeling weak and tired suddenly. "I think I'll take a nap now." I said with a yawn and lay down and left them to feel confused and stunned. Before I closed my eyes I shot my hand out and grabbed the book. I put it under my small pillow.


	9. Cured

Chapter 9

(Fang's POV)

I woke up in the morning and pulled the book out from under my pillow. I opened it and glanced at Gassy and Iggy who were still sleeping. After a while they woke up and I finished the book 15 minutes later.

I sighed and got up. I stretched on my way to the bathroom.

I got dressed and shook out my hair. I think Iggy and Gassy were still mucho confused about my sudden mood change.

Not my fault.

Seriously, it really wasn't.

I did pushups while they got ready. "Why are you doing that?" Gassy asked me as I did them.

"I don't know. I realized that if I stay still and don't think for a long enough time I get too depressed to move. So if I keep moving and never stop thinking then I won't get depressed." I said before hopping up and pacing.

They came to get us and I followed without question. I caught Jeb's eye and I stuck my tongue out at him like a five year old. He chuckled and shook his head at me and I grinned and walked off after Iggy and Gassy.

I followed them to their classes. Iggy froze before entering, "You should know Fang. The flock's famous. _Everyone_ knows us," he whispered.

I was sure he was overreacting.

We walked into class.

And I knew he wasn't.

There were intakes of breath and such and everyone started talking at once.

Once the whitecoat settled everyone down she began… English class? I wasn't so sure.

Everyone kept eyeing us but I ignored them and doodled on the desk with the pencil I found in my desk.

_Keep moving, keep thinking, don't let it take you again_, I thought as I merely focused on breathing and blinking and what I was drawing.

I felt the urge to look up and I did. Just as I did I saw a flash of black hair walk past the door. The girl kept walking and I shot my hand into the air.

"Yes?" The whitecoat asked looking confused.

"May I used the bathroom?" I asked.

"Uh… ya," She said.

I jumped up and avoided Gassy and Iggy's eyes. Why we were all in the same class was beyond me.

I saw the girl and ran after her. "Shadow," I hissed and the face I wanted to see spun and grinned.

Shadow threw her arms around me and spoke quickly in my ear. "Oh my God, Fang, I missed you so much. What happened? I saw Iggy and Gassy yesterday around here but I couldn't talk to them. You weren't with them, I was so worried." She hung onto me. I held onto her.

"Ya, I was… a little out of it," I said.

"Max told me what you were like when you were ten. Before they met you," she said looking up at me.

My jaw tightened but I nodded. "Ya, I guess I was a little more then out of it," I said.

She looked down, "Was it worse this time?" She asked not looking at me.

"Yes," I breathed. She looked at me and I avoided her eyes.

"Why are you so thin?" She asked frowning as she felt my arms. "I feel like I can break you in half." She said sounding worried.

I looked away.

"Have you been eating?" She asked fear, pain and worry in her voice.

I avoided her eyes.

"You haven't," She breathed, it wasn't a question, she knew.

I breathed out a sigh, "I said I was out of it." I muttered.

She looked appalled. She looked like she was about to lecture me.

"Please don't," I whispered closing my eyes, "It's been bad enough without you too." I whispered. "Iggy and Jeb have been on my case all week," I whispered.

"You haven't eaten in a week?" She asked her eyes wide with fear and her voice choked with pain. I looked away. There were tears sparkling at my eyes now. Shadow must have chosen to let it go because she said, "Max has been worried about you."

A ghost of a smile graced my face. "Tell her I'm fine then," I said.

"But you aren't." It wasn't a question.

"No, I'm not." I said looking away again.

Shadow sighed and said, "So… what now?" She asked.

"You want to meet up during lunch?" I asked.

Shadow nodded, "But even better, come to my class its 312," Shadow said.

I smiled and nodded, "I better get to class." I said.

"Me too," Shadow grinned, "If you stay out too long they call the flyboys." She said rolling her eyes, "After all nothing says, 'get to class,' like a flyboy." She said with fake enthusiasm.

I grinned, "But keep it a secret, I'll bring Iggy and Gassy to your class and you just stall them. It'll be so great to see everyone's faces." I said grinning and she nodded.

"Oh, but remember to think to Angel not to say anything." I added and she grinned. We both ran off in opposite direction.

I ran into class and I had 5 minutes of anxious waiting before a bell rang.

I got up and said, "Come on guys," and they glanced at each other in confusion, but followed.

I saw Shadow's head bob between people and I ran through the people. Iggy and Gassy followed in confusion.

Shadow saw me and we grabbed each other in a hug before anyone could react. I squeezed my eyes shut as I held onto her tighter. There were sudden squeals of surprise and joy and I opened my eyes and let go of Shadow to pull Max into a hug. I could feel Max's tears seeping through my shirt and I held onto her.

"I can't believe you found us!" She cried and I hugged her tighter. "We looked all yesterday and I couldn't, we couldn't, I was so… oh Fang! I missed you!" She said giving me a squeeze.

Iggy and Shadow were making out in plain few of the entire hallway of people who stared gaping at them and I cleared my throat loudly. They broke away breathing hard.

Nudge, Gassy and Angel were all hugging each other and Total was in Angels arms.

Max touched my face and leaned upward and kissed my lips softly for only a millisecond. It surprised me but I smiled. I took her hand and we walked to the cafeteria.

Jeb walked up to me and handed me a small bottle with some pills in it. "You have to take one with every meal," Jeb said. He stood directly to my right.

"What if I don't?" I said staring ahead and not looking at him.

"Then the whitecoats will make you." Jeb said curtly and walked off.

I glared after him and took a pill. The steady head ache that was working up in my mind started to fade as I wondered if the pill was no more then common cold pain meds. Somehow I doubted it; maybe they were school made really strong pain meds.

I sat down and ate slowly. My stomach was uneasy. I felt a wave of pain and I cringed. Sorrow was in pain again. I focused on sucking it up. I focused on bringing the pain in and holding it. Sorrow was hit again and I winced. It left like I was shot in the stomach. I gripped the table for support. I felt a warm hand on my forearm and I looked up at Max.

"Are you okay?" She asked, "You're pail and sweating. What's wrong?" She asked.

I took in a shuddered breath and squeezed my eyes shut. I saw Sorrow again but he had a look of surprise as the man hit him. He obviously didn't feel a thing. I grit my teeth together and I let go and Sorrow winced.

I felt a wave of anger for the man and I focused on him and I heard other yelling. The man hit Sorrow more and I gave the man the pain. The two men were in total chaos. Sorrow looked afraid and surprised.

I lost my control and all the pain was back on me and I started to shake with pain.

"Fang, please, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" Shadow asked. She shook my shoulder and I gasped and she let go as if I had electrocuted her.

I whimpered, "Leave him alone." I growled, "Leave Sorrow alone." I gave into the pain; I needed help no matter how much I hated this. "Max," I gasped out the word.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Get Jeb," I said struggling not to scream.

I heard her get up and she left.

There was screaming in my ears, I sucked in a breath. I felt like hell.

I suddenly heard the voice I despised in my ear. "What is it Fang?" Jeb asked.

"Who," I struggled to say as pain rocked through me again. "Is," I blurted out before I restrained a scream, "Sorrow," I demanded before the pain was too intense and the world faded and I went limp and his arms caught me.

(Shadow's POV)

I watched Fang faint and Jeb's face went as white as bone. "Sorrow," Jeb muttered in disbelief.

"Who is he?" Max asked.

"I… I can't tell you." Jeb said straitening up. "For one thing I actually don't know where he is and if Fang goes to find him…" He said and lowered his voice, "The school is after Sorrow too. If Fang finds him the world is screwed. It's better if he's lost." Jeb said looking flustered.

"Jeb," I said, "You owe me, who is Sorrow. Give me that at least," I said.

Jeb looked undecided. He glanced at Fang before saying "Sorrow is… about two years and a half younger then Fang and you. Making him 11 at the moment," Jeb said to me. "He's truly a remarkable boy. He feels the emotions of the people closest to him. No matter where in the world they are. Feeling people's emotions makes him extremely sensitive. He was here for a few years when he was younger. He's avian like all you." Jeb said and he paused to organize his thoughts. "I always liked him, he was pretty smart. He is extremely similar to Fang, down to his looks. He looks like a Fang only 11. He has the opposite power to Fang. Fang feels the physical pain and Sorrow feels the emotional stuff." Jeb said and paused again. "Sorrow is also…" Jeb stopped.

"What?" I whispered. Tension was in the air now.

"He's your younger brother," Jeb said and got up abruptly and left.


	10. Finally Understanding

Chapter 10

(Shadow's POV)

My mouth fell open and I stared at him. I turned to the flock, "When Fang wakes up tell him what happened," I said before jumping and bolting towards the door after Jeb.

I caught up to him in the hallway. "Jeb, please, I need to understand. How did this happen?" I asked I felt totally confused and distraught.

Jeb sighed, "Your mother… well had another teen pregnancy pretty much." He glanced at me, "Sorrow gained the name Sorrow because he was always depressed. He somehow… knew he was missing something. Missing his siblings I guess. Sorrow made you care about him. I didn't know if it was his power or if your instincts automatically made you feel sorry for him."

Jeb whispered, "I helped him escape. I heard he got caught by some other guys somewhere. I have tried very hard to find him but it's harder then I thought. These people that have him don't work for the school but they are evil."

Jeb leaned in towards me, "You can't let the school get Sorrow but you do have to save him," he said and started to walk away.

I stared after him. "Why are you so honest with me?" I asked.

He froze and looked at me, "Shadow haven't you ever wondered why people are _always_ honest with you?" He asked. "You don't feel things like your brothers do. You can create pain and emotions, but only in your voice. Sure Sorrow can control emotions too, but you use your words. It makes you unique. It also makes that power practically useless to the whitecoats," Jeb said. "Although, you can convince people with just one word. That's why they keep you around," he said and walked away.

I stood there for a moment, trying to understand, trying to remember how to breathe.

I ran back to the cafeteria to see Fang staring off into space with a look of shock and new found pain.

"Fang," I breathed and shook his shoulder.

His voice broke when he spoke, "The boy I've seen." He took in a shuddered breath. "Beaten every day before my eyes," he said and I could tell he was close to tears. "Is my brother," he whispered and he placed his head in his hands.

"Fang," I whispered. "We have to save him," I said.

He nodded a fierce look in his eyes, "Yes," he said.

"We'll help," Max said putting a comforting arm around Fang.

He winced and growled, "Wont they ever lay off the kid?" He asked looking angry and pained.

I felt bad for Fang. He was the most caring person I knew and this was torturing him. I stood up and said, "I'm leaving this place. Who's coming with me?" I asked full of confidence.

Fang looked at up at me, "How?" His voice held no hope.

I grinned, "Just leave it to me. If all goes as planned we'll all walk out of here and no one will even _think_ of hurting us," I said.

Angel frowned, "Will that really work?" she asked.

"Yes, but I'll need your help," I said and she grinned.

(Fang's POV)

I sighed as Angel and Shadow got up. I got up and Max asked, "Where are you going?"

I felt dazed and I said, "I… I just need some air."

I walked down the halls in a daze. I sat down on the floor of a hallway and I closed my eyes and lay my head on my arms that were crossed over my knees.

I sighed winced as I saw him again. I squeezed my eyes shut. I tried to block it out but I didn't want to somehow give him more pain.

I heard someone sit down next to me and I knew who it was. "Leave me alone," I said sharply.

Jeb sighed, "I know you don't like me, but are you going to be okay?" He asked.

I was silent, "No," I whispered.

He sighed again, "I'm sorry about Shadow and Sorrow." He said.

"I'm sorry your face looks like a baboons behind," I snarled into my arms.

He chuckled, "Nice." He said, "You seem depressed lately. Is it just because you're away from Shadow or…" Jeb trailed off.

"What are you doing Jeb?" I asked looking at him. "Do you seriously think that I'm just going to open up to you like last time and just be okay and talk to you and tell you everything?" I asked him.

He looked sad, "I can hope can't I?" he asked.

I looked away. "Hope wont get you anywhere with me," I said curtly.

He made a frustrated sigh, "I know." He said sounding like he would very much like to say something else.

I closed my eyes for a second and leaned my head against the wall for a minute, "Don't be angry with me." I whispered, "You're the one who did this to me." I said.

"I don't give you pain." Jeb snapped.

I snorted, "You give me the emotional kind."

"I meant physical. I didn't give you that power."

"I can deal with that, I can't deal with you."

"You live in a fairytale world if you believe that physical pain doesn't affect you."

"I've been living in a fairytale world my whole life. I mean for gods sake." I said opening my eyes to glare at him. "I am a freak with wings." I said.

"You are not a freak."

"Yes, I am," I said looking him in eyes. "I mean for God sake, Jeb! You're not a fourteen-year-old kid with wings who lives in a lab and reads minds and feels the pain of the world." I said feeling exasperated. "Walk a mile in my shoes and maybe you might _actually_ feel bad about how you've tortured people." I snarled and got up.

"Fang," he started to try to comfort me. He tried to grab my wrist but I just pushed his hand away, like I did all those years ago, and walked away with my arms folded over my chest.


	11. Black Eyes and Blue Boys

**GUYS! THIS IS A LONG ONE! With its very one NEW POINT OF VEIW! I'm sure you can guess who's!**

_**Reviews Are Love**_

**HAPPY READING!**

Chapter 11

(Shadow's POV)

I walked through the hall with Angel and the flock after school. The flock was confused but Angel was excited.

A whitecoat rounded the corner and gave us a suspicious look, "Where are you going?" He asked glaring.

"We're going outside. Don't worry we're not going to run away. You can trust me." I said and the flock stood still.

The whitecoat smiled at me, "Hope you get a lot of fresh air," before walking away.

I turned and smiled at the flock, "Brilliant power huh? My voice can do stuff." I said grinning before we continued down the hall.

We came across a group of five flyboys and 2 Erasers. We took them apart at once.

I noticed Fang blink and hold it for an extra second. He was reading our minds while fighting?

I swung a leg at the flyboy's lower back making it snap.

(Fang's POV)

As I blinked extra long I was suddenly kicked in the side. I gasped and my eyes flew open. I gasped again and attacked the flyboy. The world looked the same but I could hear everyone else. I forced my eyes not to blink before they gave in. It was still the same.

I heard Max's mind as she saw my awed face, _what?_ She thought before saying, "Fang, what's wrong with your eyes?"

The flyboys and Erasers were knocked out or broken now and everyone was staring at my eyes, "What?" I asked.

"The colour part is black!" Max said walking to me. She examined my eyes.

"I don't know but I can hear your thoughts." I said frowning.

Max looked thoughtful before saying, "Stop reading our minds for a second." She said.

I focused on closing down my mind reading. I kept my eyes open before I heard them make a collective gasp.

"What?" I asked.

"It was so cool! It was like your eye had a drop of brown water colour paint dropped into the outside edge of the colour area." Nudge said, "Try to read my mind." She said excited.

I read her mind. I never really enjoyed reading her mind. It was worse then her talking. It was so fast it was hard to understand.

They made another collective gasp.

"What?" I asked though clenched teeth feeling frustrated.

"Well it's like someone dropped a glop of black water colour paint into the lenses of your eyes! It was so cool! It was all spidering out like the brown except the brown was spidering in instead of out!" Nudge squeaked.

"Is spidering even a word?" Gassy muttered to Iggy who shrugged.

"Well, cool, but can we go?" I asked feeling more frustrated by their watchful eyes.

They nodded and we ran out of there. We made a clean get away in many respects.

I flew fast and strong. Shadow tried to follow me closely but the only person who could ever keep up at my full speed was Max.

I was in a hurry. My mind automatically guided me in the direction of Sorrow.

I was leading because I was the only one who knew where I was going. I heard Max come up beside me and I scanned the ground. "We need to land. The little ones can't keep up with you." Max said smiling.

I sighed, "Fine, I call first watch." I said automatically.

"Sure Fang," Max said in a tired tone, I glanced at her face, I could tell she wasn't in the mood for arguing at the moment, and we searched for a cave or something. We landed in a cave. As soon as the others were asleep I took out my sketch book and pencil.

I closed my eyes and my hand flew across the page without me opening my eyes. Once I had the basic look of Sorrow on the page I opened my eyes and started to work on details.

I worked the shading and I smiled. Sorrow still looked sad but there was a light in his eyes when I saw him now. It was like he knew; he knew I was coming for him.

Maybe he could read my emotions as well as I read his physical pain. In a way the people who've hurt us have lead us to each other.

Once I was satisfied I flipped over the page and started to draw the cave and the flock as they slept. I kept a careful eye out but was also focusing on creating a perfect image.

I've had a sketch book since I was 10 and a half. I would draw at night when I was bored and I was sick of rereading stories. My sketch book was no secret. The flock new that I was good at drawing and that I kept a sketch book. They never really asked to see it but I would have shown them if they wanted to.

I've only had one sketch book. The thing was basically a dairy. The pictures told my story. I had the amazing ability to remember a scene for a very long time. So at night I'd just draw it. I have drawings from when I was happy and laughing with Max and Iggy. I had Angel's first steps.

Although my first picture was of myself sitting in my room in silence, I was staring off out the window. That was meant to remind me of Shadow and symbolize that I'd faced worse pain. I drew myself lying in a bed. I drew Iggy and Gassy in the corner and the whitecoat and Jeb. I basically drew what happened. I captured the glossy lost look in my eyes. I tapped the paper with my pencil.

I put my stuff away and leaned against the wall. When it was Max's watch I woke her up and went to sleep.

In the morning I practically kicked everyone out of the cave. I flew fast. I swung to the left and the flock followed. I frowned at the ground. There were just miles and miles of luscious green forest to comb through. I slowed down, we were close. I flew in one spot turning in a circle. We were far away from any town, any city, any road. I heard a muffled scream and I convulsed as pain shot through me.

"Big mistake pal," I growled under my breath.

Shadow was suddenly at my side, "Where?" She asked in a whisper.

"Tell the other's to wait." I snarled and I shot north 20 meters. I saw a small cabin nestled into the green and I dived. At a glance I saw the flock flying away and Shadow following after me. I landed and Shadow landed beside me. I looked at her and we both nodded. We walked forwards towards the cabin.

I kicked the door and it practically fell off its hinges. There was a table with cards on it. Two stunned men sat there with cards in their hands and cigarettes in their mouths. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke.

There were two main rooms, Sorrow's room, the main room, and two bathrooms. One bathroom was for the men and one was for Sorrow.

The main room had a single bed in it so I guessed the men took shifts at night.

I snarled under my breath and we moved towards each other at the same time. I reached back a fist and punched. It was time to end this.

**(A/N: I was going to leave it here… be thankful!)**

(Sorrow's POV)

My life was and is about pain. My life is about the emotions of others, because the only one I feel is pain. My life is about doing what I'm told, even though I don't want to. My life is about the sorrow that has covered my heart. I'm an empty shell. Too many years of misery do that to you.

I lay on my side because if I lay on my back my wings would cause more pain then my fractured ribs. My right ankle was broken and swollen. My dark chocolate eyes were constantly circled with black and blue and my skin was as pail as paper even though it should be olive.

I had 5 things that made up my 'room'. Wooden walls and ceiling, cold hard wooden floors, a swinging light bulb, a drip in the ceiling I got water from, a door that lead to the bathroom, which consisted of just a toilet and sink, and there was a door that even if I had the energy to get up and try to force it open nothing would happen.

I knew I had two siblings. I'd seen them in my visions of people in emotional pain. They were always the clearest people.

One was a girl, with long black flowing hair and a beautiful face and chocolate brown eyes.

The other was a boy the same age. He was the one I saw more often than anyone on earth. He was in constant pain, but it wasn't physical. It was a pain that couldn't be judged by how hard your opponent hit you, it was emotional pain. He had hair that always seemed to be in his eyes and chocolate brown eyes that looked flat most of the time except when he let someone see his true emotions.

Lately I'd seen him lying in a bed and not moving. It hurt me to see him like that, more then the beatings I received from my captors. I felt a shred of hope though. I'd seen him with a determined look on his face as he shot through the sky. I could feel the hope, the anticipation. He was coming for me.

They fed me occasionally but other wise I just tried to get the drops from the ceiling to fall into my chapped lips. I no longer found it nasty like when I first came here. I was covered in too much dirt and blood to care.

I heard noise outside and I twitched with fear they were angry again. When they got angry they hit me. I was their punching bag.

I crawled slowly to the corner with the drip. I looked at the puddle that had formed there. I saw my reflection. Dirt was caked on my face. I watched my reflection. The brown frightened eyes stared back at me.

I heard something heavy fall. It made a thump sound, not a crash. I had a second to wonder what it was. I pulled myself into a small ball and tried to sink into the corner. I whimpered in fear. I prayed without hope that someone would save me this time.

I was cowering in the corner when the door creaked open. I hid my face, waiting. The murderous angry roar never came. The loud, thumping, staggering footsteps never came. Instead I heard silence. Suddenly the room filled with the soft tapping of slow timid footsteps. I looked up and a beautiful young girl stood there. I tried to smile but my muscles that controlled my mouth seemed unable to move.

She was my sister. I knew it, I was positive. I'd seen her before. She glanced back and I noticed a tall, dark and handsome boy standing there, leaning against the door frame, watching me. I knew him too, I knew him very well actually.

She knelt down to my level, "Do you know who I am?" She asked in a whisper.

I slowly nodded my head. I was afraid to speak. I'd learnt that if you stayed quiet, stayed down, you wouldn't get hurt.

She smiled, "Good, I'm Shadow." She said.

I gained control of my muscles in my mouth then and I smiled softly. I glanced at the boy as Shadow smiled at me. She moved to help me up.

"Shadow, his right ankle's broken. So for god's sake, please, watch it." The boy spoke. There was a hint of something in his voice but I was too tired to try and decipher it.

She watched me and rolled her eyes and I smile slightly. "Yes, your majesty," she mumbled. "That's Fang, your older, protective, annoying brother." She said scowling.

I raised an eyebrow, "Fang?" I asked.

"This coming from a boy named Sorrow?" Fang asked with a dangerous light in his eyes.

Shadow glared at him, "Be nice, you pansy." She said giving him a look.

I stifled a laugh and I was shocked, they noticed the look on my face.

"What is it?" Fang asked suddenly anxious. He walked over to me and knelt in front of me.

"I… I've not laughed in 5 years." I said and I felt a wave of emotion. I suddenly forgot everything around me. I flung my arms around Fang's neck and hung on. I realized I had started to cry and I couldn't stop. I didn't realize that Fang had his arms around me protectively. I just lay in my older brother's arms and bawled my eyes out on his shirt.

Shadow shushed me comfortingly. "It's okay, we're here now." She said.

I nodded and tried to wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, only succeeding in making my face dirtier. "Thanks," I said as I grab a fist full of Fang's shirt for support.

Fang gazed down at me. I felt the emotion he felt. He was so happy to see me safe. His eyes watered and he sniffed and blinked a few times. "You ready to go?" Fang asked me and I nodded with a smile. I hugged myself closer to him.

I breathed out an even breath. For the first time ever I felt truly safe.

(Fang's POV)

Sorrow was a tiny little thing. He was so thin and he was kind of small for a mutant. Don't get me wrong he was still tall for a human but small compared to other mutants like us. He was so… cute too. The way he acts, it just makes you smile. I helped him up. He took a step and we both hissed in pain.

"I should probably carry you," I said as I shook out my right leg.

"Why are you doing that?" Sorrow asked frowning at my foot.

Shadow saved me from answering, "He feels the pain of the world, like how you feel the emotions of people close to you, but for everyone." She said.

I shot a glare at her, "Jeez, tell the world." I mumbled as I rolled my eyes. "Go tell the others that we're coming I just need to fix his ankle and see what I can do about the other injuries." I said.

"You should get Iggy to look at them." Shadow said as I helped him to the floor.

"I'll talk to your boyfriend at camp, okay?" I said with a smirk.

She smacked me over the head, "Quiet you or I'll have to… tell Max… something." She said struggling to find something that she could tell Max before leaving.

I rolled my eyes, "She's got nothing on me anyways." I said to him and he smiled.

I took off my backpack and started to fix up his ankle. I glanced at his wings. "I'll let Iggy look at the wings and the ribs." I said before he needed to tell me.

"Who are the other people?" Sorrow asked looking really small and defenseless.

I looked him in the eyes, "Sorrow, you don't have to be afraid if I'm with you, Shadow will tell you any day of the week, I am an overprotective spaz attack when it comes to her safety. That applies to you too now." I said and he nodded and looked comforted, "Shadow and I are with the flock, I don't know if you've heard of them." I said.

"I don't think so…" Sorrow said looking like he was thinking hard.

"Well I'll introduce you to them later." I said and picked him up. I walked outside, past the unconscious guys.

"Did you do that?" Sorrow asked looking slightly pleased.

"Admiring our handiwork?" I asked with a grin.

He smiled and nodded.

"They deserve worse," I said glaring at the sun overhead. I took off and circled to find the flock.


	12. Look Alike

Chapter 12

(Fang's POV)

I found them and landed. The flock was setting up camp in a roughly oval field that was bordered by green trees.

I landed and skidded to a stop. 7 heads turned to look at us. In a second they were all around us. I could see the panic in Sorrow's eyes. He wasn't used to so many people around him.

"Oh, my God," Max said, "He looks so much like you!" She said to me ruffling my hair. I couldn't help but let my mouth curve upwards. Sorrow smiled at me, there was a light of knowledge on his eyes. I guess he knew about Max and me then.

"Guys, back up, he's injured. Iggy, can you feel out the fractured ribs and tell me how to fix up the wings?" I asked Iggy. The flock backed up. They went to do whatever they were doing again and Shadow knelt down beside Sorrow and I.

Iggy sat down on the grass. "Okay, hi, I'm Iggy." Iggy said holding out a hand.

Sorrow shook it, "Sorrow." He said.

"Ya I know, Fang started screaming your name in the middle of the night one time." Iggy said catching me off guard.

"I did?" I asked with a startled look.

"Ya, Gassy freaked out of course but I told him to just go into the bathroom until I told him to come out. You didn't wake up and I didn't tell you because the next day you were worse with the whole lifelessly staring at the wall thing you had going on," Iggy explained as he felt along Sorrow's ribs.

Sorrow and I winced at the same time. "There," the three of us muttered.

"That's just creepy," Shadow scowled at us.

We all smiled and Iggy told Sorrow to take off his shirt. Sorrow couldn't really take off his shirt so Iggy had to cut it away to prevent it from hurting his wings. Iggy wrapped a bandage around Sorrow's chest. "It's just to keep it from moving too much. The bandage won't do much anyways but there's really nothing I can do," Iggy said. "Let me take a look at your wings." He said suddenly. "Open them as wide as you can. Fang take away his pain, I got a feeling this will hurt," he added to me.

I sucked in a breath and nodded to Sorrow. He stretched out his wings and I clenched my jaw shut to stop screaming in agony. "Iggy, hurry, please!" I said through clenched teeth.

"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying." Iggy said as he straitened all the bones in his wings and helped them close against Sorrow's back.

I breathed a sigh and lay down on the grass. "My god, that hurt," I muttered. Iggy chuckled as he wrapped stuff around Sorrow's wings.

Iggy patted my shoulder, "Done," he said and I let my concentration slip.

I sighed and sat up. Shadow and Iggy had gotten up and left. "Okay," I said and told him about the flock members. "So ya, that's us. Oh and Total. The talking dog," I said pointing at the running black blob. Sorrow nodded looking tired. "You should sleep." I said watching his drooping eyes.

He yawned and shook his head, "I don't want to." He complained.

I smiled. I got up and picked him up, as I moved him to a spot to make him sleep he complained about not wanting to sleep. I lay him down and he sat cross legged with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I'll wake you when dinner's ready, okay?" I asked and he sighed. I could see defeat in his eyes. He lay down slowly back and closed his eyes.

I smiled at him. After a moment he shivered and I pulled out a jacket from my bag. I placed it on top of his bare chest and he smiled. I smirked and walked over to Max. "Do you have to deal with these younger kids all the time?" I complained leaning my head on her shoulder.

She laughed, "Hey you only take care of two of them, try all 9 of you," She said.

"True," I muttered before sitting up fast, "You don't have to take care of me," I said glaring at her.

She laughed, "Yes, I do. You're too reckless Fang." Max said grinning, I was about to argue back when she said, "But I love you anyways." She reached up and touched her lips to mine briefly before turning back to watch the little kids play. Iggy and Shadow were a few feet away making dinner.

I smiled, "Thanks," I said with a yawn.

She smiled at me and pushed some hair out of my face. "Maybe you should take a nap too sleepy head. I know you hardly got any sleep last night," She said and she cupped my cheek in her palm. Her eyes we alight with a look of worry and persuasion.

My eyes shot away from hers and back. "I'll get more tonight, besides the flock needs me right now." I said in a hopeless attempt to stop her from giving me that look.

She frowned at me, "Go take a nap. Now," She ordered grabbing my hand, standing and dragging me towards where Sorrow was sleeping. "Sleep," she ordered pushing me to the ground.

I sat down and she pushed me so I was lying down, "Sleep." Max growled and I rolled my eyes before going to sleep.

I was woken up by the rough shaking of my shoulder. My hand shot out and snagged the hand, "What is it?" I asked with my eyes still closed.

Shadow answered, "Dinner sleeping beauty."

I opened my eyes, "Okay," I sighed. I sat up and turned to Sorrow. I shook his shoulder lightly. He moaned and mumbled something before swatting the air sleepily. I chuckled, "Come on, Sorrow, its dinner time," I said. He mumbled something and started to move.

He eventually got up. He put on my coat because I didn't have a shirt for him to wear. We went over to the fire. Sorrow sat between Shadow and I and I could see the fear in his eyes. I handed him a plate of food and he took it with a ravenous look in his eyes.

We ate in silence until Nudge broke the silence, as usual. "This is so great," She said smiling, "What?" She asked when everyone gave her a look, "We're all together for once. I mean come on, when does that happen? First of all Fang gets back his sister and finds his brother. By the way, hi, I'm Nudge, you're Sorrow, I know. I know practically everyone is going to scowl at me for saying this, but you got the cute gene." Nudge said conversationally.

I let my shoulders drop and gave her a look. Angel giggled and Total coughed and started laughing. Gassy looked confused, but Iggy, Shadow and Max burst out laughing. Sorrow's face went a deep shade of red.

Max was the first to recovered, "Nudge, you do realized Fang looks exactly the same as Sorrow, right?" She asked restraining a laugh.

"Ya but, no offence Max, or Fang, or anyone really, but Fang is all old and 14. Sorrow's like… 11 or something. It's different." Nudge said looking defensive.

I chuckled and shook my head, "Uh, subject change before Sorrow goes permanently red," I said.

Nudge went on to talk about really random stuff before Iggy had the mind to cover her mouth. "You want to kill the kid on the first sitting?" Iggy asked Nudge and she shook her head, her brown curly hair bounced around.

I smiled and rolled my eyes at Sorrow, who tried to smile back.

Dinner went without much chaos after that. Sorrow started yawning 30 minutes into the after dinner rambling. I glanced at Shadow and she smiled at him, "Ready for bed Sorrow?" She asked him quietly.

He shrugged, "I guess." He said and glanced up at me, "What's happening tomorrow?" He asked me.

I turned to Max, "Good question, Sorrow, what are we doing tomorrow Max?" I asked Max with a smile.

She stalled as usual and said, "We're…going to go see my mom about Sorrow's injuries and then we're going to… enroll in school," she said. She smiled at me. The next second she had a vacant look in her eyes, "Jeb says that we need to stay incognito for a while because the school's after us again. He says going to school somewhere is brilliant."

"You know Jeb Batchelder?" Sorrow asked his eyes suddenly bright with some emotion.

"Ya, I know he rescued you out of that hell hole but he's a real asshole." I growled.

"Why?" Sorrow asked looking confused and hurt.

"He left me at the school, on purpose," Shadow said.

"Tried to get his son to kill me… multiple times," I said.

"Ditto," Max said leaning around me to see Sorrow.

"Ordered the order that made me blind," Iggy added, "Shadow fixed my eyes though so no big but I was blind for a good 8 or so years." He informed Sorrow.

"Backstabbed us," Angel piped up.

Of course Nudge couldn't be left out, "Brought Max into the world and made her life living hell."

"He lied too!" Total yelled from behind Angel's feet.

"Is a constant controlling voice in Max's head that tells her to do stuff, like save the world," Gassy said.

"Oh," Sorrow said, "That's a lot of reasons."

"Ya," Max said, "I mean I guess he could be good," She said but she scowled, "But I'm not about to just _let_ him walk back into my life." She growled. The flock all muttered agreement.

Sorrow frowned, "Huh, when I knew him he was nice. Maybe he's like an egg. He turned bad over time?" He asked with a smile.

He tried to hide a yawn but I said, "Okay, bedtime you." I said and picked him up.

"Okay," he said with a yawn. He curled up in my arms as I walked he fell asleep. I smiled as I put him on the ground to sleep.

I walked back to the flock, "So what do you think?" I asked them.

Shadow grinned, "Ya, you guys think he's a keeper?" She asked with a grin before laughing quietly.

"He's sort of… cute," Max said. "Like just the way he acts and stuff," she added.

"I totally vote to keep him." Nudge said grinning, "he acts so cute and he seems sweet…" She sighed.

Love sick Nudge. Everybody run.

"Nudge, stop acting like you're in love with him. One, he'll be able to tell and, two, you are sitting across from his older siblings." Shadow scolded.

"Now you know what its like," I said with a smirk.

"What?" Shadow asked looking completely confused.

"Uh hello, you are going through the overprotective sibling stage." I said with a smirk. "You're freaking out because someone has a crush on him." I grinned evilly at her. "Welcome to hell."

"I am so not crushing on Sorrow!" Nudge hissed at us.

Shadow and I looked at each other, "Uh, ya, you are," we said and laughed.

Max cleared her throat loudly to get our attention, "Anyways," Max said sharply and we all looked at her, "Everyone cool with Sorrow?" She asked and the flock all nodded. "Good, Iggy, you got first watch. Everybody else, bed, now." Max said before getting up and going to her place to sleep.

I went and lay on Sorrow's right side and Shadow lay down on his left. I fell asleep and it was a pleasant surprise to find I didn't dream at all.


	13. Flying and Falling

Chapter 13

(Sorrow's POV)

In the morning everything was sore on my body, but it was less pain then the usual kick in the butt I got.

I sat up and stretched. Fang was to my right and he twitched in his sleep and seemed to sniff the air. I looked for Shadow and found her and Iggy sitting by the fire cooking breakfast. Shadow came over when she saw I was awake.

"You need a lift?" She asked me in a whisper. She had a smile on her face as she picked me up. "Jeezum, you're light." She muttered to me and I smiled.

She set me down by the fire and I let it warm me. Iggy came over to check my wounds after he was done cooking breakfast. Iggy seemed nice, he was really gentle. He took extra care to make sure I wasn't in any pain. I suspected the extra care was partly so Fang wouldn't wake up and start getting protective of Shadow because he sat down and she sat on his lap.

I could tell he loved Shadow. Shadow loved him as much as he did. It kind of hurt my heart to watch such love. I have never been truly loved. I mean, I guess, I was feeling it now, but mostly all I knew was harsh anger and deep sorrow.

I ate breakfast and looked at my swollen ankle. I heard someone move behind me. I knew it wasn't Fang because he'd be more silent. I turned to see the dark skinned girl, Nudge, walking towards the fire. She sat down near me on the right, but not too near. She seemed to not notice me yet and she started picking stuff up to eat. Her hand lingered too close to the fire for a second and the flames looked dangerously close to her skin. I reached out instinctively and pulled her hand away just in time to see the flames lick out and snag the air where her hand would have been.

She gasped and looked up at me. "Thanks." She mumbled.

I smiled weakly, "No problem." I said my voice was still scratchy from not talking in what seemed forever. I let go of her wrist.

Her brown cheeks glowed red for a second. I glanced up to make sure Shadow wasn't watching and Fang wasn't awake yet. There was a moment of awkward silence. "Uh, Nudge?" I asked not looking at her.

"Huh?" Nudge said as if she was suddenly coming out of a train of thought.

"Can you tell me… what it feels like to fly?" I whispered.

She smiled, "It's the best thing ever. Haven't you flown before?" She asked me.

I paused, "Not really. I mean I guess I have, just not well and not very far. When I was… I guess I escaped… I convinced Jeb with my emotions powers to let me go." I said with a smile, "Well when I got out I didn't know how so I just tried but I wasn't very successful." I said.

She smiled, "I would teach you, but one, Fang might want to, two, I'm not the greatest flier but I can stay airborne and three, you're wings are kind of broken," She said with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm sure you're a great flier, Fang can teach me the complicated stuff if he really wants too. I just want to know how to get airborne and stay that way, but yes letting my wings heal is probably a good idea." I said with a smile.

She blushed again, "Well, cool then," She seemed speechless.

Fang woke up then and I glanced his way before turning back to the fire. He came and sat on my left. "Hey, did Shadow carry you over here?" He asked casually. I nodded yawning. He smiled at me and asked, "Still tired?" I nodded again. "Well it's a long flight, I'm sure you can get some sleep then." He reassured.

"Who's going to carry me?" I asked a sudden wave of exhaustion coming over me.

"I will," He said eating a granola bar. I nodded sleepily.

Max came up behind him and sat on his left and said, "Anyone get the others up yet?" She asked.

"Nope," Iggy, Shadow and Fang all said at the same time.

She groaned and glared at them before getting up to shake Angel and Gazzy up.

15 minutes later we were airborne and I felt the wind in my hair. My god the flock flew fast. They shot across the sky like rockets. Nudge was an excellent flier! What was she talking about? Fang was by far the most expert flier though, I had to admit.

When we were flying lover then usual I noticed something far off that was getting closer. It looked like a small storm cloud. I looked up at Fang, "Uh Fang, what's that?" I asked pointing at the storm cloud.

"Crap," Fang said and shouted to Max, "Max, we got company!"

I heard her swear under her breath and said, "Everyone get ready. Fang, do something with Sorrow." She said obviously caught off guard.

Fang looked down at me with a worried expression. I looked at the ground. We were flying over a river. "Fang," I said catching his attention. He watched me, "Drop me." I said and he looked down.

"No," He hissed.

"Do it," I said.

He glanced at me and looked at Shadow. The colour of his eyes turned flat black and she looked at him. "I can't carry him and fly." She said and there was a pause, "No! Don't drop him!" She shouted and the flock looked.

"Fang, if you carry while you fight I'll just end up falling anyways," I tried to reason with him.

Fang looked undecided but the storm cloud was already approaching there was no time to act Fang had to fight now and if he dropped me the devils from the school would get me.

"Hold on," Fang said and let me slide down to his leg, "Don't let go of my leg Sorrow." He warned and started punching the things.

"Stupid flyboys," Gazzy yelled a few minutes later and I finally got a name for them.

They saw me and they droned, "You will give up the boy. He is not important to you. You do not even know him. You will give us Sorrow or we will take him."

Fang growled and shouted, "Never!" They started to swarm Fang and I hung onto Fang's leg. My grip was slipping. I yelled as I started to fall. My fingers tried to grab his boot but I couldn't get a hold and I was falling through air then.

The flyboys tore after me and I swung my arms and I saw the water of the fast flowing river below me. A flyboy grabbed the sleeve of the jacket Fang let me borrow and yanked. I was jerked upward but my weight threw the thing off and we both started falling again.

I heard several people call my name as I hit the water. The water dragged me along and I gasped as the electric tingle of the robot short circuiting made my skin feel funny.

I started to sink; I forgot that I didn't know how to swim. I slipped under the icy water. I pushed to pull my head above the water. My feet hit something solid, the ground, I pushed off and my head broke the surface again.

Two flyboys came out of nowhere and grabbed my arms and lifted me out of the water.

I screamed, "Fang!" as the started pulling me from the fight. I heard a chopper. Fang was trying to fly towards me and I knew it had to do this myself. I called up what I knew about fighting and sung my good leg so it hit one that was holding me in the side. It made some odd mechanical noise and plummeted. We dropped a few feet but I saw more flyboys approaching. I had to buy some time until someone could save me. I screamed for the flock again but they were busy.

I could tell they were trying to come but they couldn't get to me. Every time they tried there was another flyboy in the way. There was a loud explosion and a dozen flyboys dropped.

3 flyboys lifted me and I screamed again. I saw the chopper; I screamed and thrashed around in the flyboys arms. There were tears falling from my eyes now. "Let me go!" I screamed, "Let me go!"

Fang was furious I could see it from here. He yanked something away from a flyboy and I heard the sound of gun fire as Fang shot at the minions of the antichrist.

I screamed more and shouted the flock's names. The choppers doors flew open and the flyboys threw me in. My head whacked against the floor and I groaned. There was an intense pain in my wings from my impact though. I screamed from pain now. The flyboys grabbed my arms to restrain me, "Fang! Shadow! Help me!" I screamed.

"Your siblings can't save you now," The flyboys droned together. My breathing quickened and tears poured from my eyes. It was happening all over again, just like before with the men, they captured me and dragged me off to that cottage and tried to make me hurt people. I screamed in denial.

A flyboy nudged my ankle, it didn't matter whether it was on purpose or if it was by accident, I screamed as pain shot through my ankle and up my leg.

A flyboy took out a pair of handcuffs chained my left wrist to a part of the seat that connected it to the floor. No matter how much I struggled I couldn't get free. The door of the chopper was closed but then I heard an earsplitting shattering sound as the window shattered. Iggy and Fang climbed through the window and a fight broke out right there. Tears were making it hard to see, but I pulled against the handcuffs and yelled in frustration when that did diddlysquat to it.

Fang and Iggy were fighting a battle that couldn't be won. Iggy ran over and took out something that looked like wire cutters. He snapped a part of the hand cuffs and my hand was free.

Iggy picked me up and shoved open the door. Fang followed and took me from Iggy. Iggy threw something in there before diving off the helicopter. Fang and I free fell for about 5 seconds before the helicopter exploded and Iggy and Fang snapped open their wings. I hung onto Fang, I was shaking and he looked worried.

The flock surrounded us and we all flew faster then we had before. I didn't stop shaking, it was like I couldn't. Plus I just realized I was freezing from the water. All my tattered clothes, and Fang's Jacket, were soaked through.

Max directed us to go down 2 hours later and we landed outside a house. I sniffled and wiped my eyes. Fang held me close as he ran towards a house. Max held the door open for us. I hung onto Fang and he rubbed my back between the wings. It felt surprisingly nice. I closed my eyes and just hung onto him.

Max introduced me quickly to her mom and Ella before Mrs. Martinez said that to get a better idea of the problem she would have to get an x-ray of it.

I stiffened in Fang's arms and he rubbed my back again. I calmed down a bit. Fang, Max, Ella and Mrs. Martinez went into the car and to her vet clinic.

I was brought into a room and told to do stuff. I was totally out of it. I think I might have been in shock, but all I knew was that I couldn't think clearly. When it was all over I went back into Fang's arms.

"His wings are almost healed so they should be good. His ankle's nearly fixed too. His ribs are iffy but they're going to be okay." Mrs. Martinez said nodding.

Fang nodded and rubbed my back again. I rested my face on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

(Fang's POV)

Sorrow fell asleep in my arms. I noticed when we were in the car. He was kind of cute when he was asleep. His chest rose and fell in perfect time and when we got home I brought him upstairs and tucked him into bed.

I came downstairs and sat down with a heavy sigh, "Jeez," I said, "I never knew you young kids were so tiring to take care of." I said with a grin.

Gassy, Angel, Nudge, and Ella all said, "Hey!"

Max chuckled and rested her head on my shoulder. "So, are we going to go to school soon?" Nudge asked looking like she'd rather not.

I frowned, "Should we wait for Sorrow to heal a little bit?" I asked.

Max nodded, "Wait for at least his ankle and ribs to heal." She said nodding.

Mrs. Martinez asked then, "Are you guys thinking of enrolling in a school?" We nodded, "Well, Ella's on summer break and her school starts in about a week and a half. You guys could join hers under Max's or mine last name." She volunteered.

Max said that was a good idea and a few minutes later we all went up to bed.


	14. Lost Once More

Chapter 14

(Sorrow's POV)

I was woken up by the sunlight that shining across the floor of the room where I was sleeping. I groaned and stretched, I looked around the room before swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I hobbled downstairs as I tried to put as little weight on my foot as possible.

I made in to the kitchen where I collapsed into a chair. Mrs. Martinez found me there 5 minutes later. "Hello Sorrow," She said cheerfully and went to the coffee machine.

I rested my head on the table and Mrs. Martinez subtly placed a bowl of cereal in front of me. She dropped two pain killers beside the bowl. She placed a glass of water beside them. I picked them up and dry swallowed them. I took a sip of water to get the subtle taste out of my mouth. She smiled at me and patted my shoulder. I started to eat the shredded cardboard with flavor in front of me, which was actually considerably better than the food my old captors used to feed me.

I finished the bowl when Fang jumped down the bottom half of the steps. Mrs. Martinez frowned at him and lightly smacked him over the head with the newspaper. "Don't jump the stairs." She said mid swing.

He grinned when the paper made contact with his head. He dug his hand into the cereal box and ate a handful. "Hey, how's it going?" Fang asked. I shrugged and he chuckled. "How's your leg? Ribs? Wings?" He asked.

I shrugged again, "Okay, I guess," I said.

He smiled and ruffled my hair before going into the TV room.

Soon the whole kitchen was filled with the flock and I hobbled into the other room so I could have some room to breathe.

A week passed and nothing crazy happened. My bones in my ankle and ribs healed and I could actually run around. My wings were getting there. They were almost healed.

I walked outside. I stretched out my wings and flapped them. I winced as the small tingle of pain shot through my wings. I gingerly pulled them in. I looked at the sky and sighed, this place was the picture of heaven, at least to me.

I sat down on the steps for a minute before I decided to walk around a bit. I walked down the street. The flock had gotten new clothes so now I was wearing a black t-shirt and black jeans with a black hoodie and black sneakers. My hands were in the hoodie pocket as I walked.

I glanced up the road and saw 3 boys walking towards me. I paid no attention to them. They we're going to harm me for no reason, right? I focused on their emotions. They were feeling rebellious and angry but they felt delighted and I wasn't sure why, that is, until I heard their voices.

"Hey! You! Who're you? We haven't seen you on our turf before." The biggest one said threateningly.

I tried not to act freaked out, "I'm new to the neighborhood." I said with a hint of youthful innocence in my voice. I found it hard not to snarl, or be sarcastic, at them. That's right, I'm just some sweet little boy… sure.

"Ya, maybe he needs to learn the way of the neighborhood." The one on the left said. They laughed and I could feel their anticipation growing. Their hands curled into fists and I felt fear shock through me. My feet stumbled backwards slightly. I stood like a deer in the headlights until I heard a voice behind me that made that fear melt away like butter in a microwave.

"If I were you I wouldn't touch him," Fang's voice seemed to cut through all tension in the air and created it's own.

I looked back at Fang. He was practically on fire with rage. I smiled lightly at him. He walked up to us so that he was standing beside me.

The boys glared at him, "Why? Because his big mean brother is going to fight us?" The middle boy snarled and they laughing.

Fang just stood there, anger written on his face. I heard another voice shout "hey." I turned to see Max walking over to us.

The boys growled, "It's her!" One of them hissed.

The middle one said with a look of disgust, "Is she with you?" Fang nodded and Max glared at them. "Beat them to a pulp." The middle boy snarled and they started moving.

Fang pushed me behind him and a kid punched him the face. I stared in shock as Fang's head snapped to the side and his eyes blazed with anger before looking at the boy and punching him so hard he fell to the ground and stayed down. Max had knocked one out and she was fighting the last one. He looked like he was about to fall down anyways.

I saw something move across the ground as if it was a shadow. I looked up, there was nothing above me.

I heard the strange sound of mechanical whizzing and froze. I slowly turned to see a group of 20 flyboys standing right behind me. Max and Fang hadn't turned yet but the boys had seen them and had gotten up and started running. I opened my mouth to scream but it was covered by one gross claw. _Great_, I thought, _I don't get one freaking moment of peace!_

I was yanked off my feet as the thing took off and Fang and Max had turned by now. I was struggling but it was no use. Dang, these guys really wanted me. I was shrieking into the flyboys hand but Fang and Max were kind of busy trying not to get killed by the flyboys.

It rose higher and higher and started to fly away. I watched the spot where Fang and Max were. They were little specks, and they couldn't come. It was over, I was gone.

(Fang's POV)

I punched the flyboys head so hard it snapped off and flew for a second, managing to hit another flyboy before falling. I growled under my breath and suddenly they all took off. I fell to my knees, they had taken Sorrow. I felt traitorous tears bite at my eyes.

Max came and placed a hand on my shoulder. I wiped away my tears. "Where do you think they took him?" I asked.

Max was silent for a second, "The school?" She guessed.

I shook my head, "They'll know I would guess that so they won't take him there. They'll want me to go there and get caught, but they won't want me to even have the possibility of getting him back," I said tears making my vision blurry. "Shadow's going to kill me," I muttered. "So is Nudge," I added.

"They won't, you did all you could," Max said comfortingly.

I decided not to argue with that one. I got up, "It doesn't matter, I'll be able to sense if they hurt him or he'll hurt himself to get me to see. Or he'll think my name and hopefully I'll be in range to hear him," I said.

Max nodded and we walked back to the house. Max told the others because I didn't have the heart to.

I sighed,_ where are you Sorrow?_


	15. Painful Painkillers

Chapter 15

(Max's POV)

Fang still can't get a lock of Sorrow. He's seen glimpses. School starts tomorrow. Fang and Shadow are freaking out and Fang seems on constant edge. The littlest things make him twitch; no one dares mention Sorrow or anything related to him.

The whitecoats are being smart this time. Fang's theory is they're giving Sorrow extra pain meds to stop Fang from seeing. Sorrow is in fact out of Fang's range and so Angel and Fang aren't getting anything.

I'm ready to crawl the walls. I lost one of my flock members and two of them are practically on the edge of insanity. Fang won't stop pacing, he's waiting, waiting for a sign, but Sorrow isn't sending anything.

I watched him from the kitchen. There was nervous light in his eyes. He's going insane waiting for a hint of pain that just wasn't coming. "This sucks," I muttered and took an angry bite of chocolate chip cookie.

(Sorrow's POV)

I was pushed into a room. They made me take a painkiller and then threatened me and tortured me. It was totally pointless.

My entire right arm was covered with blood, my blood, but I hardly felt the pain. The flyboys chained my wrists and ankles to the wall. I pulled against the chains but it did nothing and the flyboys gave some sort of electronic chuckle. I panicked as they left. I sighed and let myself hang limp.

_Where are you Fang? Why haven't you come for me yet?_ I asked in my head. There was a sudden flow of tears that escaped my eyes. I cried and couldn't stop.

15 minutes later a guy walked in. I was sleep deprived and hungry. I couldn't focus. "Why is it ignoring me?" The man asked with a strange accent. It could be German… or something. He was talking to a woman with a clipboard.

"What?" I snapped.

"Ah, finally some attention from it," He said and watched me, "It's kind of cute don't you think?" He asked looking at the woman, she shrugged. The man glared at me and pinched my dirt smeared face. I glared and turned my face; my teeth snapped at his finger. He narrowly saved them.

"Vermin," He snarled and backhanded me. I winced as it stung my cheek the tiniest bit. At the pain killers were doing their job. I glared at him and he continued, "You will do what we say or you will die. If we kill you it'll be long and we will torture you, so if you're smart you'll do what we say. Do you understand?" He snarled in my face.

"I understand perfectly," I said, and he seemed pleased that I was going along with this. "That you're going to have to kill me," I said looking him in the eyes. The man growled under his breath and punched me in the face. The pain wasn't much but I prayed Fang felt it. I grinned and said, "I hope Fang felt that."

He said a bunch of profanities under his breath before stalking out the door. The woman followed him hastily. I let myself hang limp again.

(Fang's POV)

I sat down and rubbing my eyes. I held my head on my hands. I was such a failure. I had gotten nothing. Sure the occasional tingle of pain but then it was gone and I couldn't get any lock on it or a good idea of where to go.

I felt an arm lay across my shoulder and I looked at Shadow. She rested her head on my shoulder and sighed. "We'll find him." She whispered.

Just then I winced and she watched me closely. The bottoms of my feet were burning. They were making him run through a maze with red hot floors.

Just then his thoughts burst into my head, _Fang, Fang, Fang, Fang,_ was all he thinking over and over again. Then he thought _I hope you can hear me. They are planning on killing me. I don't know how yet, but I suspect it'll be painless so you won't be able to tell where I am._ The pain in my feet had increased as he stood in one spot so that he was sure the pain would transfer to me.

_Where are you_, I thought hard.

_Fang! Yes! I don't know for sure. It's cold! And I'm scared!_ He thought and I felt a twang of sadness.

_Don't be afraid_, I thought, _we're going to get you out of there. Where are you?_ I thought.

_Go north and you'll probably be able to track me._ He thought and then he was shocked and I heard him scream. I winced but I grinned, idiots.

I grinned and jumped up. I grabbed Shadow's hand and called to the flock, "Got him!"

We were all downstairs in a minute. It was late at night and we couldn't do anything, but we were going to go as recon and see if I could catch onto anything.

We were about halfway out the door when Mrs. Martinez said sternly, "You guys have to be home at 10:30, got it?" We all muttered yeses as we made out way outside.

5 minutes later, I shot across the black sky with quick speed. My dark eyes were closed and I coasted on the air. I felt so free, but I remembered the reason for this. I searched and it was like there was a line snaking across the ground that told me where Sorrow was. I opened my eyes when we were a few miles away.

There it was, some prison looking thing with strobe lights and the whole 9 yards.

I heard his thoughts clearly. _It's freezing! I want to go home. Where is Fang? Why hasn't Shadow come to help me? Where's the flock?_ He thought and I heard something that sounded like crying to me. _I want to go home!_ He whined on last time before stopping. _Fang, I know you're out there. I can feel your pain as you listen to me. Why aren't you saving me?_

_We'll save you buddy, don't worry. We might not have time tonight but definitely soon._ I thought before turning to the others, "So, we going down there or what?" I asked.

Max checked her watched, "It's 9:30. You want to give it a try or come back tomorrow?" Max asked and we eyed the other ones. The little kids were getting tired.

"Tomorrow," we both sighed.

I thought to Sorrow. _Hold on kid, we have to come back tomorrow. Angel, Gassy, and Nudge are starting to get to tired. Don't worry, I'll save you._ I heard Sorrow whimper and I felt truly bad for leaving him there another night but he knew that we'd need to be full strength to get him out.

We arrived back at the house and I was in a sour mood. I climbed the stairs and went to bed before I could convince myself that I was being stupid and that I should go back. Plus I had to go to school tomorrow, dang it!

The next morning none of us wanted to go to school. Mrs. Martinez had been firm though. She wanted us to not miss the first day. She promised that after school we could save him.

I was on edge as we walked to school. Shadow, Sorrow and I were registered under a different name than the rest of the flock. We were like the Depths or something. I was Nick, Shadow was Amelia and Sorrow was Matthew. I sighed; the story was that Matt was ill.

We walked into the school yard and our sullen faces kind of fit in.

Ella was with us and she saw a woman with black hair walking towards us. "Oh dang, okay, I'm gone." She muttered and melted into the crowd.

We frowned but then the woman came up to us and said, "Hello, I'm Mrs. Deval."

It was a name I might never forget.

I breathed out a sigh and moved around her quickly. Shadow followed, we had the same class and she was painfully shy around large group's new people.

Mrs. Deval was quick though; she turned and grabbed my shoulder and turned me slightly. She wasn't much taller than me or Shadow but it was noticeable that she was. "Are you two new?" She asked.

I shot her a glare before starting forwards again. Shadow rolled her eyes and said, "Hey, I'm Amelia and that's Nick." She said and I heard her whisper, "Sorry about him, he's just angry and upset because our brother Matt is really sick right now."

I turned to her and scowled, "Can we go?" I practically spat.

"Coming Nick," she called and ran over to me.

"You got to tell her our life story?" I hissed to her. I was almost certain that the woman could hear us.

"Hey, just making sure she doesn't think you're naturally evil." She said grinning.

I stuck my tongue out at her, "Weirdo!" I shouted and ran up the stairs.

Shadow laughed and shouted "Back at you!" and ran after me. I found that I actually smiled. Shadow chased me down the hall before she finally jumped at me and started beating on me but did practically nothing. Iggy lifted her off me and she squealed happily and kissed him.

I rolled my eyes and Max grabbed my hand. "Hey," Max said with a smile. I smiled down at her, "Having fun yet?" She asked with a smile.

I crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue. She laughed and punched my arm playfully.

After that it was an extremely long day. Mrs. Deval kept on showing up where ever I was and we would both look awkward and avoid each other. I figured out she was the school counselor. Good for her.

She kept looking at me though. I read her mind when she wasn't looking. She was wondering if I was distressed because of my brother. My answer to that was uh DUH! I mean God I was flipping out and waiting until I could save Sorrow was hell! Hell, I say, H-E-double-hockey-sticks!

The final bell rang and I was outside the class in 5 seconds. I ran down the hall and ignored the people that shouted at me in annoyance.

I ran outside but then something caught my arm, or should I say someone. Mrs. Deval hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "I meant to ask you…" She started.

Shadow and the others ran past me with a look of confusion, "Look, I'm in a bit of a hurry so I got to go!" I said and tried to pull away.

"I meant to ask you what was wrong with your brother," she said.

We were both silent, "I don't think it's any of your business why my brother is sick." I practically snarled.

"I think he's sicker then you'd like anyone to know."

"I think you need to butt out of my life. I didn't ask you to help me."

"I know you didn't, but as you can see it's not stopping me."

"All I see is me walking away." I snarled before pulling my arm free and tore after Max and the others. I caught up and we ran a block till we knew no one had followed us before taking off.

I flew quickly through the sky. I felt his pain. He was being hurt and it hurt my heart to feel it. I flew faster and we arrived outside the place they were keeping him.

I felt my eyes change and I listened to him.

_I'm so cold. I don't know why they gave me so many pills. Jeez I'm tired. Maybe I should take a nap._ I realized in horror what they were doing. They gave him an overdose and I think on purpose.

"Max! They gave him an overdose of pills. He's going to die if we don't do something and fast!" I shouted over the wind. I thought to Sorrow, _Sorrow! Do not go to sleep! Do you hear me? Do not go to sleep!_

I heard him give a groan type thing. _Why? I'm tired._ He complained.

_I can't tell you right now. Just don't._ I thought. I didn't want to frighten him but I knew he heard the urgency in my thought and he obeyed.

We landed in the middle of the field and the alarms started blaring. We started in. We had to fight our way in, no surprise there, and we got away for a millisecond and we were running down the halls. I was following Sorrow's mind. Ya I know it sounds creepy but I had no time to think about that.

I sprinted down the hall and slammed into a door. It shook and fell and there was Sorrow chained to a wall. I ran over and Iggy started unchaining him. Once his hands were free he started crying and holding onto me. I lifted him off the ground after Iggy unchained his legs.

We heard running footsteps and he started shaking. He buried his face in my chest and started whimpering. I was shocked and annoyed. Whoever had frightened him this much was going to pay big time. Who ever ordered the overdose was going to pay too.

Well, who should round the corner first but Jeb, followed closely by Ter borcht. Sorrow saw Ter Borcht and gave a high pitched squeak and shook violently. I rubbed his back between the wings and he sniffed and looked up at me. His eyes drooped then and I felt sad again.

I looked up to glare at them and handed Sorrow to Shadow. She set his feet on the ground and held him close. "You assholes better run," I said and Jeb looked uneasy. He took a small step backwards.

Ter borcht just laughed, "You're brother will be dead in a few hours anyways." He said waving a hand like it was nothing.

I glared and ran forward ramming the two of them into the wall. Their heads made sickening cracks as they hit the wall and I smirked, "Shall we?" I said.

We flew back to Mrs. Martinez's house and I ran in and Max called her mom down.

Sorrow was shaking from the cold air that was coming through the open door and he whined, "Fang, I'm tried, I want to go to go sleep."

"Sorrow… if you go to sleep you'll never wake up so please, just stay awake." I said and he moaned.

Mrs. Martinez did her work quickly before saying, "We're out of options. We need to go to the hospital or some how find a way to get everything in his stomach out."

"Well f-" Iggy started but Max elbowed him in the side.

"Not helping!" Shadow and I shouted at the same time.

"Stop arguing!" Sorrow shouted. We all turned to look at him, "Take me to the freaking hospital before I make myself throw up on all you." He snarled and I recognized he had taken the steal edge in my voice and used it.

The next five minute Max's mom was on the phone calling the hospital and telling them Sorrow would be coming. We all hopped into her car, which was rather hard considering we all went and it's only a minivan.

It was a silent car ride and I noticed Nudge on the verge of tears. I took in Max comforting Angel and Gassy in the back. Iggy had an arm around Shadow and she was holding Sorrow's hand. I held Sorrow's hand and his head was against my shoulder, but no one was comforting Nudge. She was right beside me and I reached across the small space and held her hand.

She looked up at me. She was like my little sister. I had grown very fond of her, especially when we had spent all that time together with the hawks. I smiled reassuringly at Nudge and a small tear snaked down her dark skin. I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "He's not dead yet."

She looked at me and squeezed my hand. She looked at Sorrow and Sorrow let go of my hand and his small olive hand reached across and Nudge held it with her other hand. He smiled, she smiled, and I smiled.

Then we stopped at the hospital and we all jumped out. I picked up Sorrow and carried him in and the nurses were already jumping up to help me. They put him on a stretcher and Max's mom was already rattling off symptoms and the problem and following them in and she explained why they would need her assistance. The last I saw of them they were looking confused and heading into a room.


	16. First Day of School Again

Chapter 16

(Fang's POV)

I stood helplessly in the waiting room. I might never see my little brother again. I looked around again. Angel and Gassy were crying in Max's arms and Iggy was rubbing Shadow's shoulder. Total was in Angel's lap and Nudge was looking up at me with a look of pure pain. Again she was the only one who wasn't being comforted. I took her hand and we went over and sat in the seats.

It took a long time. Angel and Gassy curled up in the chairs and went to sleep. Total crawled into Angel's lap and went to sleep too. Shadow fell asleep in Iggy's arms and he fell asleep soon after. Max had squeezed my shoulder before sitting down and sleeping too.

I felt a tear slide down my face a few minutes later. I wiped away the tear but more followed. I was aware of Nudge watching me. She came over and took my hand. She had been so silent lately. I smiled at her and pulled her onto my lap. She burst into tears then. She hugged me and I hugged her back. I shushed her and tried to comfort her. She started talking and I listened because I knew this was important.

"I just I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't come back. I know I've only known him for a little while but I'm really going to miss him." She said tears running down her face and she started choking up and I rubbed her back as she sniffled.

I heard footsteps and we both looked up. I was surprised and annoyed to see Mrs. Deval. Nudge wiped away her tears and turned back to me. I just stared at her though and she stared back. "Nick?" She asked and walked towards me. "Why are you here?" She asked and she took in the others who were asleep and Nudge and I with our tear streaked faces. "Is your brother alright?" She asked.

She knew she hit her mark because Nudge gave a whimper of misery and started wailing and bawling her eyes out on my shirt. My face crumpled in pain and I felt a tear slide down my face and the next thing I knew Nudge and I were holding each other with tears falling all over the place.

It was totally pathetic but it was all getting to me. I looked up at her and shook my head and Nudge cried harder. I rubbed her back and she cried on my shoulder. "Please," I choked out, "Don't bother me tonight," I whispered.

She saw the raw pain in my eyes and I guess she knew that I meant it. She nodded and started to leave. Just then a nurse came around the corner. She paused and I looked up at her.

"Mr. Depth?" She asked and I nodded. "He's fine. We got him stable and you can see him now." She said with a smile. "Be warned he's a little muddled up right now because of the pills." She said and looked warily at Mrs. Deval as if asking her with her eyes why she was there. I got up and pulled Nudge with me. "Uh, only family is allowed to see him," The nurse said to Nudge.

Nudge looked heart broken for a second but I said, "Hey, Nudge is like his sister, she's coming," I said and I took her hand and looked back at the flock. They all looked wiped, I should let them sleep. My eyebrows pulled together before I pulled Nudge back and shook Shadow awake.

Iggy mumbled something in his sleep and Shadow looked up at me, "What is it Fang?" She asked and feared the worst.

"We can see him now," I whispered with a smile and she smiled and got up. I knew Mrs. Deval heard my real name but I didn't care.

Shadow got up, "Should we wake the others?" She asked.

The nurse whispered anxiously, "He might feel a bit overwhelmed if all of you go."

Shadow, of course, didn't even notice Mrs. Deval and the three of us walked down the hall and into one of the rooms.

I stared at the wires and tubes that were attached to Sorrow. He looked up at me and smiled. He reached out a hand and I walked over and took it in mine. He smiled at me, "Thanks." He croaked and I smiled down at him.

Nudge ran over to him and gave him a quick hug. He let go of my hand and took hers, "I'll be fine, Nudge, really. Don't worry. Okay?" He asked looking her in the eyes and she nodded. Shadow squeezed his shoulder and he smiled at her. "The doctors say I'm in prefect health now." He said and we smiled.

Nudge and Shadow went to get something to eat because it was 11 at night and we still hadn't eaten dinner. I pulled over a chair from the where it sat near the wall. I sat there and I held his hand. He smiled at me, "Thanks for saving me." He said with watery eyes.

I pushed some hair out of his face, "No problem." I said.

His bottom lip trembled, "Had I been close?" He asked.

I gulped before nodding. His hand tightened in mine.

"I won't let them hurt you like that again." I whispered and he nodded. "What happened? Did they do anything else to you?" I asked.

Sorrow looked uncomfortable and he shook his head. "It was just really, really scary. It was cold and I was hungry. I missed you." He said and I rubbed circles on his hand and he tried to smile but it just turned into a wiggling line.

"Just relax okay, you're safe now. Go to sleep." I whispered. Sorrow nodded and closed his eyes.

Nudge and Shadow came back with food and Nudge went to get the others. Shadow pulled another chair over and she sat down. She passed me a coke and I took a sip.

"That was close," Shadow said watching Sorrow sleep.

I nodded, "I know," I said not much higher than a whisper. Max made it through the door then. Mrs. Martinez followed her. Max hugged me and I hugged her back.

We were told that we could leave now and they woke Sorrow again. I held his hand as the doctors took out all the wires and things attached to him.

I held his hand as we walked outside. He kept yawning and rubbing his eyes. I saw Mrs. Deval off in the corner. I smiled briefly at her and Sorrow tugged at the bottom of my shirt.

I looked down at him, "Can we go home now?" He asked in a small voice and I nodded. I leaned down and picked him up.

He fell asleep on my shoulder and we climbed into Mrs. Martinez's car. I smiled, I thought I might never see him again here he was sleeping in my arms. I looked at his peaceful face. He shifted in his sleep and held onto me tighter, a frown appeared on his face and he started shaking a little bit. I rubbed his back between the wings and he seemed to relax.

We got home and I carried him upstairs. I lay him on the other side of my bed and tucked him in before getting in my side and falling asleep. Tomorrow seemed brighter than usual.

When I awoke I got up and checked to make sure Sorrow was okay. I shook his shoulder and he groaned and rolled over. I smiled, "Sorrow, you have to get ready for school, come on," I said and he sighed and slowly got up. "Okay, you can get dressed in here. I'm going to the bathroom." I said and went to take a shower. I changed and knocked before coming back.

Sorrow was just pulling on his shirt. "I'm good right?" He asked looking at his shirt and I sighed and went over to see if he put everything on right.

"You're good, come on," I said and took his hand and we went downstairs.

I smiled down at him. I guess there is something about losing your childhood. In Sorrow's case it made him act like he is 7 or something. In my case, it made me step up and take more control of my life, but that might just be that I am the oldest out of Shadow and Sorrow.

Sorrow came down and picked up a pancake and ate it without syrup. He just stood there the pancake in between his hands and crewing on it.

Shadow came down and Sorrow stared up at her with his wide-eyed innocent look. "What?" Shadow asked with a laugh looking at him.

"Do I have to go to school?" Sorrow asked.

Shadow seemed to stall before saying, "Yep, sorry, buddy."

Sorrow frowned and took another bite of pancake. He looked at me with hopeful eyes.

I chuckled, "Ya, you got to go today." I said and he took an angry bite of pancake.

Shadow and I laughed. Five minutes later everyone was running around everywhere trying to get ready for school.

We all ran outside and Shadow leaned down to fix the straps on Sorrow's bag. "So remember Sorrow, our real names are our nicknames. Fang is Nick, I am Amelia and you are Matthew," she reminded him for the hundredth time, "And you were sick because?" She asked.

Sorrow sighed, "I got a fever and I wanted to go to sleep and took too many pills without asking you guys and I had to go to the hospital. It's a touchy subject so I don't want to talk about it. Our parents are away, but we're adopted so they aren't really our parents, and we're staying at the Martinez's. I should have talked to 'Nick' before taking them but I'm young and stupid so I didn't." He said and Shadow smiled.

"Good," She said and took his hand.

We walked into the school yard and he took my hand and looked around nervously. "There's so many of them," he whispered and held my hand tighter. "Do I have to go?" He asked looking up at me fear in his eyes.

I nodded, "Come on, you can do it," I said, "We're going to meet up at Lunch and Nudge will be with you. You'll be fine." I said softly.

He nodded unwillingly, "What's Nudge's name?" He asked in a whisper.

"She picked Jennifer. You can call her Jenny though," I whispered back, "Or Nudge, but ya." I lead him past a group of people.

"You're in grade 6, act like it," Shadow murmured in his ear.

He stood up a little taller at her words and let go of my hand, but he stayed close. Nudge ran over and she grabbed his hand. "Come on," she said happily and Sorrow smiled. He glanced at me and I nodded and they ran off.

I noticed Sorrow's shoe lace was untied, "Matthew!" I shouted, "Matthew! Sorrow! You're shoe lace is untied! Matt!" I called, but Shadow just laughed and grabbed my arm and pulled me along. I smiled and shook my head at him as he ran with Nudge.

I hardly noticed Mrs. Deval watching us; I met her gaze before running up the steps after Shadow.

I walked in the hallway at break as I talked with Shadow. Mrs. Deval casually walked over to us and said, "Can I have a word Nick?" She asked.

I sighed, but nodded. "See ya Sha-Sha." I muttered with a smirk. I had made the nickname up for her name a long time ago it was a joke and I knew was she going to call me in return.

She frowned at me, "See ya Fang-y-Fang." She teased and I grinned. She added as she headed down the hall, "See you at lunch, Cafeteria."

**[A/N: Fang-y-Fang is said like Fang E Fan… just incase you were wondering…**

I nodded and stuck my hands in my pockets as I followed Mrs. Deval to her office. She motioned to a chair in front of her desk and I sat in it. She sat behind her desk. Behind he desk was a huge wall of glass. Around her office were tall bookshelves.

"So," She said looking incredibly curious and I nearly winced at the memories of whitecoats looking at me in that way.

"So?" I asked feeling confused.

"Is there anything you want to talk about… because otherwise I have a lot of questions, which you don't have to answer but I would like you to answer." She said.

"I got nothing," I said flatly.

"Okay, so, how is your brother doing?" She asked.

"He's fine," I said, tense now.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her eyes watching me intently.

"I'm fine."

"How's Amelia?"

"She's prefect as usual."

"Why was your brother sick?"

That hit what I didn't want to talk about. "He had a fever." I said shortly.

"Most people who get fevers don't go to the hospital."

I sighed. I gulped and looked away at a bookshelf. I glared at it as I talked. "We're staying at Mrs. Martinez's house, while our parents are away. He wanted to go to sleep. He went downstairs. Mrs. Martinez was out at the grocery store. She told him that, but apparently he didn't hear her. He figured he could get the right amount of medicine himself. He took too much and went to sleep on the floor. This was at around 2:50 and I got home at 3, with Max and Sh-Amelia and everyone, and found him on the floor." I said still glaring at the books. "Mrs. Martinez came back a few minutes later and we drove to the hospital."

She stared outside for a while, "He seems like a good boy," She muttered.

I nodded, "Without my siblings…" I shook my head and closed my eyes, "Life would be not worth anything."

"What do your parents do?"

I looked at the ground, we couldn't really think up anything for them to do, so I improvised, "I don't know. They just leave the three of us all the time or when they're home I don't see them much. I don't know why they adopted us in the first place if they just leave us alone all the time."

She frowned out the window as she listened to me, "So… your siblings aren't really your siblings then…" She trailed off.

"No, they are."

She looked at me in shock.

"Shadow and I are twins, we did a thing to find our parents and stuff and we found Sorrow so we convinced our parents to adopt him too."

"Ah… Shadow and Sorrow… what is with that? I notice Shadow calls you Fang most of the time, why is that?"

"They're our nicknames," I said with a shrug, "We like them more than our names, so we use them more."

She nodded, seeming to believe me. "Do you spend a lot of time at the Martinez's house?" She asked.

I nodded, "Ya, Max's mom is really, really nice."

"Hmm," She said with a nod. "So… you spend a lot of time at your home?"

I shrugged, "A little, not much though."

"Do you take care of your siblings a lot?"

"If I don't… who will?"

"Hmm… true."

"You're not going to tell anyone about this are you? I don't want to have to go back to an orphanage… or foster home or something. I can't do that to the others."

"You're very… protective of your siblings."

I leaned closer to her, "Trust me, anyone even touches them… it'll be the biggest mistake they'll ever make."

She looked like she wanted to shiver in fright for a second, "Uh, you may go."

I got up and left. The bell rang as I made it to the hallway and I ran down the cafeteria.

Sorrow was already there with Nudge. They had gotten their food. I smiled as Shadow and Iggy made it to the cafeteria too, with Max right behind. Angel and Gazzy came in together a second after them.

I sat down with Sorrow. "Hey, so how was your first day?" I asked.

He shrugged, "It was okay." He said but I could see something was wrong. I didn't ask him about it because everyone had made it to the table then.

Nudge kept glancing at me and I felt my eyes go black. I listened to Nudge first.

_Oh, he's so cute when he's sad. I feel so bad because of what Jason did. That was so mean. To embarrass him in front of everyone like that! I swear to god I would have beat him like a drum if the teacher wasn't right there._

**Nudge, what happened? Why is Sorrow sad?**

_This boy, Jason, he called him a bunch of names in front of the teacher, and she was telling him off and stuff, but he wouldn't stop. He was calling him like emo and stuff and being mean to him because he's new… right, but you could see what he was saying wasn't really effecting Sorrow… like at all. He just looked like he couldn't care less… until people started laughing and things Jason was saying and agreeing and stuff. The teacher got him to stop, but Sorrow just sat there staring off into space the whole class and everyone kept passing him notes that he wouldn't let me see, which makes me think that none of it was good._

I sighed and ate a fry. Sorrow was avoiding my eyes and was more silent than a church mouse.

I could see the slight tremble of his hands and I read his mind.

_I don't even know what I did. I mean… I didn't bother him at all. Why was he so mean to me? I did nothing! And then everyone kept sending me notes insulting me and Nudge. I couldn't let her see them. I was right to hide them. I don't want her feelings to get hurt like mine did. I don't even know what some of those words meant, but some of them… they were the same words those guys called me, my captors. I am glad that that Jason kid got send to the office though. He was so cruel. Why would you immediately call someone those things when you don't even know them? When he doesn't know I could beat him senseless..._

I nearly laughed at the last part and I felt my eyes go brown. I glanced around.

A boy with an evil grin on his face was walking over. "Hey Matthew," He said in a sly voice.

A look of fear and annoyance flashed across his eyes for just a second. "Hello Jason." Sorrow said with confidence.

I glanced between the boys, the flock was, and some kids in the cafeteria were too.

Nudge was glaring at him, "Get lost loser," She said meanly.

Jason looked at Sorrow, "You better listen to your girlfriend Matt… and get up and leave." He said it innocently but everyone seemed to hear the mean edge in it… not to mention that what he said wasn't exactly nice.

I looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow, "Is that seriously the best you got? Jeez, kid, you're like a walking, talking idiot on a string, aren't you? Pull the string and stupid comes out of your mouth. Or is it a switch? Because I get the feeling you're like this 24/7." It wasn't the best comeback but hey, he's a sixth grader.

"Who are you? The kid's body guard?" He asked with a glare.

"No," I said getting up and picking the kid up but the neck of his shirt, "But I will be if you don't back off right now. Now… you got anything to say?" I asked him politely.

He grinned, "Ya, I've got older brothers too." Just then I saw two boys… that looked like body builders in training. The two of them were practically sniggering at my thin frame and subtle muscles.

I dropped the squirt and Max laughed behind us, "Come on, Fang, don't hurt the little boys." She joked and I rolled my eyes at her.

I caught a glance of a fist aiming for the side of my head and I moved my head an inch and the boys' fist soared passed me. That is until I grabbed his wrist and twisted it almost all the way around again. The boy cried out in pain as I possibly sprained his wrist.

I smirked down at him and looked at the boy, Jason, "You were saying?" I asked and the other boy yelled in fury. He charged at me like a bull.

By this time the cafeteria workers were yelling at us and one was speaking hysterically into a phone attached to a wall.

The other boy reached me and ran right passed me. He turned quick and took a swing at me. I backed up every time. I grinned as he kept trying to hit me. "Hold still!" He shouted and I stopped moving. He grinned and reached back to punch me when I round housed him and my combat booted foot connected with his shoulder and he cried out in pain.

The other boy was up by now and charged at me. I spun out of the way and stuck out my foot at the last second, he tripped over it and landed on the floor.

The other boy ran at me and tried to grab my waist. I moved to the side at the last second and said, "Sorry dude, I'm not that way, but I respect your way of life." I said with a smirk and the flock laughed.

The boys looked at each other and roared as they charged at me again.

I could see the vice principal stomping over to us to scold us. That's when Mrs. Deval intercepted him on the way over and whispered something. They both waited.

A permanent smirk was on my face. They were about to reach me as I pulled into my fighting stance. They both slowed down at the sight of me.

I arched an eyebrow as I waited for them. They nodded to each other and attacked. By this time I had quite the audience.

My right fist snapped forward and hit the first boy in the chest. He gasped as the air was knocked out of him. I elbowed the other boy in the stomach and spun quickly. I punched him across the face and he went down. I stepped over the boys who were on the floor.

I knelt down to the height of Jason, who was more than shocked, "Don't mess with Matthew… ever again. Got it boy?" I growled and he nodded quickly. I smiled, "Good," I said and walked over to my table and sat down in my spot.

I picked up and fry and ate it like nothing happened. Sorrow looked a little more then happy with my performance. I smiled at all of them, "So… Iggy, how was your morning?" I asked innocently.

Iggy just burst out laughing, the whole flock followed.


	17. Suspended

Chapter 16 **(sorry it should be chapter 17 but this is a continued bit)**

(Fang's POV)

I smiled at the flock and I could practically hear the vice principle and Mrs. Deval rushing forward. I looked at Sorrow and I could tell he was watching them.

I picked up my pudding-in-a-cup and placed it on his tray.

He looked at it with confusion, "I already got one," he said.

"I know, but usually chocolate pudding makes me happy and you look sad." I whispered before I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I sighed and looked up at the vice principle, "Come on, Mr. Depth. We need to have a talk in my office."

Ms. Deval placed her hands on her hips and looked like she was about to argue, but the vice principle gave her a death glare and steered me out of the cafeteria.

Turns out I'm suspended for two days… which means I'll be back on Friday.

Oh wow like I care… like at all.

I was told to go to the rest of my classes, so it wouldn't make a huge scene, but I just skipped the rest of the day with Iggy, Max and Shadow.

We came back to pick up the others. Ms. Deval was there and she was pissed off.

"Hey Sorrow, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, get your butts in gear!" Max called walking over.

Ms. Deval walked towards me and Shadow gave me a 'you're screwed' look before walking off with Iggy.

"I see you skipped," She said, her hands on her hips.

"I don't see why you care," I said. "After all I'm just a 'no good delinquent with an attitude problem.'" I said looking at the slip of paper that the vice principal gave me that I was supposed to give Ms. Martinez.

She gave me a look, "I don't think so," she said.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically.

"I heard what you said, what was the boy doing to your brother?" She asked.

I watched her, "He was insulting him and embarrassing him. I told him to stop; he called over his older brothers. Things got out of hand. What else is there to say?" I asked and my voice was surprisingly calm.

Sorrow ran over to me and hugged me quickly, "Hi." He said cheerfully.

I cleared my throat and he gave me a confused look. I motioned to Ms. Deval.

"Oh, hi, sorry, my name is Matthew, what's yours?" He asked holding out his hand.

"Hello Matthew, I'm Ms. Deval." She said shaking his hand. She glanced at me and I could tell she was silently congratulating me for teaching him some manners.

Sorrow looked up at me, "Thanks for the pudding Fang. You were right; it does lift your spirits." He said and looked over at Nudge, "Hey Nudge!" He called and ran over to her.

I smiled after him.

"He seems nice," Mrs. Deval stated.

I rolled my eyes at her, "He needs to open his eyes more, slow down."

"He… acts younger than he is."

"He's the baby of the family, the child, that's his job," I said starting to get defensive.

"If I do recall, 14 is still a youth age. You're a child too."

I was going to say something back to that, but Shadow called, "Hey Fang," She said while passing by me, "We're going to the movies, you coming?"

"Of course, someone has to be there to make sure you two aren't glues together at the mouth." I retorted.

"Ya well that wont apply if your mouth is occupied," Max said pulling my arm with a grin. I waved briefly to Ms. Deval as I followed Max.

Angel, Gazzy, Nudge and Sorrow all shouted "EW!" before running after us.

Later that night, after Mrs. Martinez had given me a huge lecture about how I can't fight at school, I logged onto the computer. My fingers typed across the screen. I was searching for some way to find my parents. Not for me, but for my brother and sister. They disserved the chance to start a new life.

I was about to give up when Nudge came downstairs and saw me. She walked over. "What are you doing?"

I sighed and rubbed my forehead, "I'm trying to find my family."

Nudge sighed and said, "Move over." It took Nudge some time. She sat there going through government forms. I sat on the couch, watching her as she worked.

"Why are you doing this for me?" I asked her randomly. Just so I could have something to listen to other than silence.

"Well… you've been there when I need you. I'm just coming to your rescue for once." She said as if she wasn't really paying attention to her words.

I felt a new respect for Nudge, not that I didn't respect her before. I smiled at her and said, "Well… thanks Nudge." I said and she nodded as if it was nothing.

She turned towards me a few seconds later. She handed me a page. I looked down at it with a frown. I looked up at her, "What?" I asked in confusion.

She rolled her eyes, "You need to go to that hospital and ask for the forms yourself." She clarified. "Lucky you, you were actually born here… and wow cool, you were born at the hospital we went to… you know for the whole thing with Sorrow." Nudge said waving her hands around and I nodded.

"Thanks Nudge," I said with a smile I hugged her before heading towards the stairs.

"Fang?"

I turned to look at Nudge, her eyes were sad. "You're not going to leave us are you?"

I smiled and shook my head, "I'm finding my parents for _them_. They can decide what they want to do about it, but I can't leave the flock."

She frowned, "Why can't you leave the flock?"

I sighed, "I just can't, let's leave it at that," I didn't want to explain that without the flock I was an empty shell. That without the flock I couldn't live. I'd be like the boy who lay in bed all day, wasting away.

Nudge, it seemed, understood something in my eyes then and nodded. "Okay." She handed me the paper and headed for the stairs. I went up after her. I smiled to myself as I went into the room I shared with Sorrow.

Maybe I could find him a good, whole, family… the family he disserved.


	18. The Hospital

Chapter 17

(Fang's POV)

The next day I spent it my time watching TV. I figured it would be the perfect time to go to the hospital, but I also figured it would be better if I went at night when it was less busy and the people were more tired so they were more likely to bend and give me what I wanted.

Sorrow came home with a smile and that seemed to lift some stress off my shoulders. I was worried today might be hard to go through, that the kids would be cruel.

I sat with Sorrow as we watched TV later at night. As we watched TV his eyes started to droop and he started yawning.

I put my arm around his shoulder, "Are you ready to go to bed?" I asked him.

He rested his head against my shoulder, "No," he yawned, "I want to stay up with you."

I smiled at the TV. "I can stay up as late as I want though, I don't have school." I reminded him.

"I want to stay up with you," He insisted, I sighed, and let him, after a few more minutes he yawned and his little eyes closed. I turned the TV down slightly and let him fall deeper into sleep. I slowly picked him up and carried him upstairs. I tucked him in before grabbing my black hoodie and walking downstairs.

I was about to go out the door when a light flicked on, freaking the crap out of me, and making me jump a foot in the air.

Max leaned against the wall beside the stairs. She was watching me and we just stared at each other for a minute before she asked, "So… where are you going?"

I told her, I explained how Nudge helped me track down the hospital, and I was going to go and find the papers. I explained that I'd be back in an hour at the most.

She smiled at me; I waited to see what she'd say. She crossed the small space between us and she placed her hands on my shoulders as she reached up and kissed my lips softly.

I grabbed her waist, pulling her closer to me. Max finally pulled away to breathe, "Good night, you better be back by twelve. If you aren't, I'll be making a scene about your disappearance… and that won't be pleasant for you later."

I cringed, she was good. If I wasn't back by twelve, I'd never get Sorrow to sleep again.

I glanced at my watch, 11:00. An hour… she's generous. I ran and took off. I landed a block away from the hospital and ran the rest. I walked as I pushed open the doors. I pulled down my hood as I walked over to the desk.

There was a tired looking receptionist there. "Hello," I said politely.

"Good Evening, what can I do for you?" She asked her voice was monotone and I nearly cracked up because of the look on her face, pure boredom.

"I'm looking for some records… about my birth… I think I was born here, but I can't really be sure."

The receptionist sighed, "Do you know anything about your family?"

"Um, I know it was a teenage pregnancy, I have a twin sister and an eleven year old brother, and I'm 14." I said.

"Okay." She said sounding like that didn't help her at all. She sighed and started typing things into a computer. "You can wait over there while I look through the records."

I nodded and went over and sat on one of the waiting room chairs. I sat in silence, I glanced outside. My stomach seemed to drop right out of my body.

There was a very, very attractive man standing outside, and he was, without a doubt, an Eraser.

I gulped and looked away from him, my breath becoming shallow and quick. I hopped up, and made my way over to the counter, I glanced at my watch, 11:15. "Do you know if you'll be done soon? I have to go." I said I could hear the stress in my voice.

"Um, I'll be done in five minutes." She said giving me a quick glance before going back to what she was doing.

Something caught my eye down the hall. A woman was standing there, a woman I didn't expect to see. Ms. Deval frowned at me like she was just as equally confused.

Dang it! I would say speak of the Devil, but I hadn't been talking about her…

Wait a minute…

Devil… Deval.

Okay… I know I've only been at school 2 days but _come on!_ I should have heard _that one_ by now!

"Hey, I'll come back tomorrow for the papers… okay?" I said and the girl shrugged and nodded.

I pulled my hood up and walked outside. I looked at the Eraser, smirked, and walked off in the opposite direction. I heard him get off the wall and start to follow me.

I shoved my hands in my hoodie pocket and picked up the speed as I walked. By the time I had reached the edge of the block I was nearly jogging.

I glanced back; the Eraser was following me still. I grinned, pulled down my hood and started running.

We raced down the next block before my wings snapped open and I took off, I heard him snarl and shoot into the air after me.

I turned mid flight and we fought over the street. I swear if anyone looking out of there houses they'd see us.

My right fist got him in the face and he dropped a meter, but not before slicing across my side. My wings grew limp and I dropped like a rock. The two of us slammed into the earth; thank God he broke my fall. He pushed me off him and stood.

I heard someone shout something. The Eraser looked down at me, at the growing pool of blood, grinned and took off. My wings were still limp around me.

I tried desperately to move, but my body just told me how tired I was, and how it didn't have the energy.

The pain increased as I tried to move. My eyes were fluttering open and closed and I saw a hazy person rushing to my side.

My wings flapped against the ground and I felt like one of those birds who broke their wings, or their foot or something and were just lying on the ground, trying to move.

I was sure I didn't want to know who was leaning over me, trying to help me.

The person tried to pick me up and I struggled against them. I was gasping in pain, softly crying out. I needed to get home; I couldn't go anywhere right now.

"Home, I need to get home, home, I need to get home," I started to blubber out over and over again. My mind was just going in circles, confusing me.

My mind went in and out of consciousness. At one point I was lying on something soft and I could feel vibrations shacking through me, then I was in someone's arms, the arms were more muscular this time, making me think it was a boy or a man or whoever. After that, I was on something comfortable and soft.

That's where I broke through the confusion, the chaos. My eyes flew open as I tried to sit up.

A hand was placed on my shoulder; it slowly pushed me back down the... I looked down at was I was lying on for the first time. I was on a couch, either the couch _was_ red, or I made it that way.

I let the hand push me, I was weak from blood loss, but my body was probably already starting to make up for it.

I looked over to find out who the hand belonged to. There was a man there, with black hair and, in this light anyways, black eyes. He was sitting on a glass coffee table and watching me.

"Elizabeth will be right back." He nodded as he told me this; I could tell this was awkward for him.

That's when I realized my wings were out, sprawled around me, my right one draped onto the floor and my left lay limp against the side of the couch.

I lifted my back ever so slightly and my wings slowly curled in and pulled against my back. "Elizabeth?" I asked while I did this, so he would hopefully stop staring at me and hopefully stop the awkward silence.

He glanced away from me, "My ex-wife, though we're still good friends. I'm Wyatt." He said with a careful smile. I watched him and he watched me, "What's your name?" he asked this time, to break the silence.

"F-Nick." I said even after I said it I wasn't sure which name I should have said. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"My name is Nick, but everyone calls me Fang." I clarified, the awkward silence continued after that.

"Oh, I, um, I didn't know if you'd be hungry when you woke, so I made you grilled cheese… just in case." He said reaching behind him, making me paranoid and freak out, and pulled out a plate with a toasted sandwich on it, making me relax.

I wanted so badly to take that sandwich, so, _so_ badly, but I was suspicious of this guy, and my paranoia was acting up. I didn't know if it was poisoned.

"Do you want it?" He asked me waving it in front of me.

"Yes, no, maybe, I don't know. Yes." I said my eyes flashing with hunger and my mouth watering, "No." I decided with a sigh, after all it _was_ safer.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Okay…" He said awkwardly. "Do you want something else?"

"No, I need to go." I said trying to sit up again. This time I manage to stand this time before the world started spinning. I ignored the dizziness as I made my way to the door.

"Wait, please, Elizabeth will be here any minute…" he pleaded.

The mention of time made me looked down quickly at my watch, "No! I need to go," I said, I had 15 minutes to get home.

I walked into another room, a kitchen, and through a hall.

I could see the front door. The door opened and my mouth nearly fell open at who was standing there, staring at me.

Although I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Tonight couldn't be completely agonizing unless this pitiful excuse for a human showed up.

**[A/N: Three guesses who! Lol**


	19. Icecream at Midnight

**WRONG D**

Chapter 18

(Fang's POV)

Jeb and I stared at each other, shock and fear in his eyes; anger and pain in mine. I was only _just_ restraining myself from closing the gap between us and killing him right here and now.

Ms. Deval closed the door after she entered, and now she was looking back and forth between the two of us.

"Fang…" Jeb said warily.

"Jeb," I said curtly.

"You know each other?" Ms. Deval asked with a shocked look. We both ignored her.

"I'm not here to hurt you," Jeb said trying to sound reassuring; his hands were forward and up like I was a wounded animal. I nearly cracked up, I _was_ a wounded animal.

I was conscious that my eyes were wide and afraid I shook my head quickly, "Like I should believe that _now_."

"What happened with your brother was _not my fault!_" He hissed.

"I beg to differ," I spat out every word.

His eyes narrowed and, in response, so did mine. We stayed like that for a long time.

"Asshole," I spat finally.

"Freak," he retorted, Ms. Deval stiffened to stone when he said that.

I swallowed roughly; my heart hurt, hearing that word from his mouth.

"Jeb," Ms. Devals' tone was lethal.

We all looked at her; I just realized that Wyatt was in the room too.

"Jeb, that was uncalled for." Wyatt said sternly.

"Shut up Wyatt." Jeb said looking at him in annoyance.

I sighed, "No, he's right," I said and I nearly cringed at how defeated I sounded, "you're always right aren't you?" I asked him rhetorically.

"Fang," Jeb said, letting his guard down and showing me how hurt he was by my words.

"I have to go. See you on Friday Ms. Deval." I mumbled and moved for the door.

"Wait, I want to know how you got your wings. Won't you tell us?"

I looked at Jeb, "Just ask him, I'm sure he can tell you the whole story, starting with how I was taken away from my family." I said starting to move past Jeb.

He glared at me, "Your family gave you up." Jeb snapped.

I looked at Jeb, "I didn't mean my parents." I whispered and moved right past him, "Don't forget to tell them about the school, Erasers, you backstabbing me, Flyboys, my brother, my sister… the whole kitten caboodle," I said. My enthusiasm sounded as fake as it was. I slammed the door on the way out.

I shook out my shoulders and shook my head. "Alright, where to…" I muttered, I looked down at my watch, "Crap." I had 8 minutes.

The door opened behind me as I walked down the steps. "Fang," Ms. Deval called running down the steps after me.

"What do you want?" I asked all my patients running out.

"I just want you to know, your secret is safe with me."

"Sure, whatever," I said as I pulled my hood up and opened my wings and jumped into the sky.

I came home 10 minutes late. When I opened the front door, Sorrow practically threw himself at me. My side exploded in pain, but I restrained the wince. I glared at Max. She, Iggy, Shadow and Sorrow were the only ones up.

"You didn't have to wake them up." I said a little too sharply at her as I tried to take my hoodie off, even through Sorrow hadn't let go of me yet. When I finally got it off I hung it on a hook.

She grinned evilly though, "Just be glad I didn't wake the others."

Iggy and Shadow were giving each other a confused glance, I wasn't sure of Sorrow's facial expression because he hadn't stopped hugging me yet.

I picked Sorrow up as Shadow and Iggy made their way upstairs again. Apparently they had realized I was never really in any danger. "Come on Little Sorrow it's bed time," I said and he snuggled closer to me as we walked upstairs. I brought Sorrow upstairs and pretended to go to sleep.

As soon as I knew Sorrow was asleep I was up and downstairs sitting in the kitchen with the bucket of vanilla icecream in front of me. Max crept down the stairs to find me there, spooning spoon after spoon of icecream into my mouth.

She picked up a spoon and sat down across from me. She took a spoonful of icecream and ate it, letting it melt in her mouth. "So… what happened?" She asked me.

I sighed and spooned yet another spoon into my mouth. I started to tell her. I told her everything that had happened.

Max watched me as I told her; the only time she looked down was to poke more icecream out of the bucket.

"So… what now?" she sounded like she was half talking to herself, half to me.

I watched her for a second, "I don't know; you're the leader."

She gave me annoyed look before leaning back in her chair, her spoon in her mouth. "I guess we'll go talk to her tomorrow."

I nodded and started to get up. My chair scraped the back as I stood. Max and I got up and went upstairs to bed.

(Sorrow's POV)

I woke with a start and noticed Fang was not in the bedroom. I waited, in case he just went to the bathroom, but he didn't come back so I got up and as I walked into the hallway I heard Fang and Max talking.

I listened as he told his story and I was, as usual, hit with their emotions. I felt extremely depressed, because Fang felt very upset about the whole thing and Max was worried.

Not to mention that around the world everyone everywhere was experiencing a mixture of emotions and when I feel an emotion of someone close to me it usually gets magnified.

I heard Fang's chair scrape back finally and I dashed to our room. I closed the door softly and went back to bed. I kept my eyes closed as Fang came back and went to sleep on my other side.

I breathed evenly. _Tomorrow,_ I promised myself, _I will go talk to Ms. Deval._


	20. The Councillor

Chapter 19

(Sorrow's POV)

When I woke up Fang was still sleeping. I think he was planning on sleeping in today so I didn't wake him up.

As I got ready I wondered what I would say to Ms. Deval. I was sure Max would try to stop me. Of course she didn't know I knew, but I was pretty sure she wouldn't want me to talk to her anyways.

I was internally thankful that Fang was still suspended today. It would be hard enough to get around Max; I didn't need Fang there as well.

I only just held myself together, as per usual. A smile was plastered on my face as the world inside me tore itself apart in angst and pain. Sure I was happier then any other time in my life, but every now and then, I'd find something that made me go back to that place in my mind where I would wish I could just disappear and never appear again.

As I walked to school the wind bit at my face, with Max and Nudge at my sides I felt kind of surrounded. It was almost nice though, because I knew they cared about me, they were protecting me, even though I didn't need anyone to protect me.

We walked into the school yard and I subtly looked around for Ms. Deval as I walked.

I saw her and broke away from the group.

"Matthew! Matt! Sorrow!" Max called, I could feel and hear her worry, paranoia, and wariness as she called my name.

I knew she was following me, but I was already ten steps ahead of her and Ms. Deval had turned at my name.

Several people were watching me as I walked towards Ms. Deval; Jason was watching me, a mischievous grin on his face like he was seeing something that could help him later, the flock, the feeling of confusion was washing through them, Max, with a feeling of horror that I knew something, which I did, Ms. Deval with a feeling of confusion and worry and pity, but there was no hate or anger. That was a good sign.

I decided it didn't matter what everyone thought, if Jason thought I was going to go talk about my problems, if the flock thought I had totally lost my mind, if Max though I was going to talk to her about Fang…. It all didn't matter, because none of it meant it was true. Sure Max was right on, but that wouldn't stop me from going, nothing would.

I walked right up her; Max had stopped to watch me in horror. I looked up at Ms. Deval, "I need to talk to you." I said casually, yet sternly.

She swallowed and nodded, she motioned me to come with her and I glanced back at the flock. I waved and followed her, leaving them in shock and confusion.

I followed Ms. Deval up to her office. I walked in silence. My lips were in a strict strait line as we walked.

We both sat down and we stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Well, hello, I'm Ms. Deval." She said attempting to get a conversation going.

"Ms. Deval, can we get to the point. We both know about Fang and his wings. You don't have to avoid the topic, I know what happened." I said feeling kind of brave for having the courage to come out and say that.

She gulped, "Well, okay," She said a small smile coming to her lips, "I have a few questions..." she trailed off and I waited for her questions. She paused, biting her lip, "Do you have wings?" She asked in almost a whisper. Her question was one of pure curiosity.

A small smile reached my lips, I nodded. "I can't fly though." I said I still hadn't gotten around to learning.

"Why is that?" She asked me.

I sighed loudly, "Until very recently they've been broken and before that I didn't know anyone who _could_ fly."

"But Fang's your-"

"Ya I know," I interrupted, I looked away for a second, "he's my brother, but that doesn't mean I was always with him. I only met him about 3 weeks ago." I said staring her down.

"Where were you?" She asked her eyes showed her feelings. She was feeling shocked, confused and worried.

"Do you know Fang's story?" I asked her. It would be easier to explain if she knew about this life.

"I know about the School, I know about how Jeb took Shadow or Amelia or whoever, away from him, I know about Erasers and Flyboys. I know about Max and the flock… but that's it. Jeb didn't explain much." Mrs. Deval said.

I smiled, "Ah, Jeb, he freed me you know? From the school I mean, that's where my story starts. I didn't have any friends for the first 7 years of my life. I used my power to control and feel emotions to make Jeb set me free. After I got caught by some… men, but they were more monsters then anything. They beat me, which ironically brought me to Fang. He feels the pain of the world, but he feels the pain of the closest people around him first, so he saw me and came to find me."

I paused to breathe, Ms. Deval looked horrified, "He saved me, but my wings and ankle and ribs were all pretty much shattered. Mrs. Martinez fixed me up, then I got captured by the school, by Flyboys." I paused and looked at Ms. Deval. "They wanted to kill me without alerting Fang…" I said trailing off.

"So they gave you an overdose…" She said with a gasp.

I nodded, "I scared him, he was more frightened then I think he realized at the time. He was in such pain; it hurts me, to feel people like that. To feel Fang or Shadow or Nudge or Max, or anyone I know really well, to feel like that."

There was a long pause now.

"I just have one question for you." I said suddenly. "How do you know Jeb?"

"My Ex-husband, Wyatt, his older adopted brother is Jeb. He and Jeb don't usually keep close contact. Wyatt only knew he was a scientist doctor type person. He didn't know what Jeb was doing. They don't usually talk, like at all." She smiled at me, "He doesn't really like Jeb, and Jeb doesn't like Wyatt too much, Wyatt often says, 'At least we're not connected by blood…'" Her face darkened, "I think he's even more pleased with fact now."

I nodded absentmindedly. My mind had wandered, I thought about Jeb, about how he'd helped me. I wasn't totally convinced he was totally evil; his emotions weren't that hard to manipulate. It was like he let me convince him.

"I was wondering," She interrupted my thoughts.

I looked at her; my eyes were calm, blank, and a little sad.

"Weren't you worried about how I would react to all this? Weren't you worried that I'd hurt you, or be afraid of you, or turn you over to like the police or something weird like that?" She asked me, her eyes kind.

I sighed and let my head fall against the back of the chair, "I was."

"But you were so cool about it, aren't you scared? Aren't you afraid I will?"

"I am."

"You hide it well."

"Thank you, I try, but," I sighed, "I don't really care what happens to me anymore, just as long as everyone around me doesn't get hurt."

"Oh, and I was wondering about your parents-"

I interrupted her by saying, "I don't have parents," my voice sounded so dead, so detached, that I noticed her hand shiver slightly.

"So, who takes care of you? Fang? Mrs. Martinez?"

"Fang takes care of me, and Mrs. Martinez."

"Don't you want to find your parents? Don't you want to just live a normal life sometimes?"

I breathed evenly; I didn't want to answer this question. Finding my parents would be practically impossible, and I always wanted to live a normal life, always. "Sure, I guess," I answered, "Not if it takes me away from Fang."

"He takes good care of you." Ms. Deval commented.

I nodded, "If he doesn't… who will?"

Ms. Deval laughed, I was confused. I frowned, "Sorry, it's just, he said that, when he came…" She trailed off.

I nodded.

"You seemed worried about him."

"Everyone needs somebody to watch over. I'm nothing without Shadow and him. He's nothing without us."

"Us?" she asked her eyebrows pulling together and her forehead crinkling.

"Shadow and I… Max and the flock," I clarified.

"They seem to care about you very much."

I nodded, "I love them all very much. They're the only form of love I've ever felt. Without them, I'd be… alone, and depressed, and angry; like I used to be."

"You're very mature for 11."

I shrugged, "I like to be a kid, and Fang lets me. I like it that way. This way I get back what I missed, but sometimes I do feel guilty. Fang never got that. Shadow and me, we get it easy, we get to be kids, while Fang protects us, from them, from ourselves."

She thought this through for a while.

There was a knock at the door.

Ms. Deval cleared her throat and said, "I'm with a student who is it?"

The door creaked open and I saw a face I knew very well, "Hello." I said naturally.

Jeb was shocked to find me here, "Sorrow? I didn't get to see you very much… last time. You grew since you were 7." He said smiling. He walked into the room and closed the door.

"What do you want Jeb?" Mrs. Deval asked anger in her voice.

"I wanted to talk to you, about what I told you. That was all strictly top secret and-"

"Jeb, she's not going to tell anyone." I said rolling my eyes, "She's not an idiot. She doesn't want nightmares stalking her either." I growled.

Jeb gave me a sad look, "I didn't mean to get you into this, and I tried to get you out of all this."

"I know, but I made you."

"I let you."

"Same difference, Ms. Deval, I think I should get to class." I said getting up. She nodded.

I nodded to Jeb, and as I walked out the door I turned and said, "And Jeb, could you stop being mean to Fang? He's under enough pressure as it is. He doesn't need you ripping his heart out all the time…" I was about to leave when I turned and said, "And the freak thing _was_ out of line and you really hurt his feelings, you should apologize." I nodded and left.

When I got to class I gave the note the secretary gave me for being late and sat down by Nudge. She wrote quickly across a loose piece of paper and practically threw it at me.

**What the heck was that about?**

I wrote back quickly.

_Oh nothing, just talking to her that's all. _

**What about?**

_Just stuff, I wanted to talk to her about Fang actually. That was all. No big._

Nudge nodded to me and crumpled up the paper.

The rest of class was boring, I could feel the boredom coming off everyone except the teacher who was so engrossed with the lesson she didn't even notice the rest of us practically falling asleep.

Somewhere in the middle of the lesson someone hit me in the side of the head with a paper ball.

I unrolled it and recognized Jason's writing.

Why did you go talk to the councilor? Did you need to talk about how you were feeling bad? Are you finally admitting that you're suicidal?

I smiled at his note and wrote quickly.

_No, but do you go to see her because of that?_

I lobbed him the crumpled note with a smile. He unfolded it, read it, and his face darkened he looked up to glare at me. I smiled and mouthed, "I'm here for you" and gave him the thumbs up. He glared at me.

I looked at Nudge, because I could feel her confusion. I smiled at her, but I think that only confused her more.

The day went smoothly, until I walked out onto the playground after school.


	21. Finding Out

Chapter 20

(Fang's POV)

I went to the hospital and I had the paper in my hand. She had narrowed it down to two people. She said that she was sure it was them. She wrote the address and everything, I don't know what it was that held me back from reading the two names and two addresses scrawled on the piece of paper. I wasn't sure why I didn't want to know.

But most of all I didn't know why I thought I already knew. Deep inside my mind, my mind had already figured it out, but was unwilling to believe it.

I sighed and stopped walking, I had to know, to put my mind and rest and complete the suspicion in my mind. I looked down at the names writing neatly in the woman's handwriting.

I sighed, "I knew it." I growled out. My hand crumpled the paper and I was going to throw it to the ground, but something stopped me.

Was it so horrible that they were my parents? If I had to pray for a mother and a father, who would I pray for? There were only two people that came to my mind, and they _were_ my parents.

I sighed; this wasn't just my choice anymore. This was theirs. I shoved the paper in my pocket and ran to school. If I got there on time I'd arrive when they got out.

As I ran into the school yard and my blood seemed to have been drained from my body. Sorrow was being pulled across the school yard by an obvious Eraser. I gasped; I'd seen that face, the Eraser from the hospital. The Eraser even grinned at me as he pulled Sorrow. I could see the fear in my little brothers' eyes.

I gasped and ran hard through the kids. "Sorrow!" I screamed, "Matthew! Sorrow!" People complained at me as I ran, calling at me angrily, but I wasn't listening.

Sorrow was pulled around the corner, but he'd seen me, I could see his terrified eyes.

A face appeared out of no where; she watched my horrified, terrified face and ran forward. Ms. Deval cut me off, "What happened?" She yelled as she ran beside me.

"Sorrow, in trouble, Eraser." I said as I rounded the corner, she was right beside me, until I put on all my speed and I shot almost like a rocket after them.

"Fang!" Sorrow screamed, trying to pull away from the Eraser.

I ran forward and the Eraser pushed Sorrow against a chain link fence. His head cracked against one of the metal polls and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

I reached the Eraser and pulled back my raised fist, it snapped forward and made contact with his face. It snapped to the side, but he used the momentum to catch my feet and I went down like a sack of potatoes.

I landed with an 'oof' before I rolled quickly out of the way of his boot. There was the sound of metal whizzing through the air and then there was the sound of metal connecting with the Eraser's head. He swayed a bit before there was more swinging and whizzing and this time the metal bat made contact with the back of his knees. He collapsed to the ground.

I jumped up, not even caring who had hit the Eraser. I skidded on my knees to Sorrow and knelt over him.

"Sorrow, Sorrow, come on Little Sorrow, get up." I begged. I felt the back of his head tenderly, I saw him cringe and his eyes fluttered uselessly.

"Fang," he groaned.

"Hey buddy, I'm right here, it's okay." I whispered to him.

I looked around, "Max!" I called seeing her over with the groups of kids, looking around for the flock. She hadn't heard me.

I sighed and looked for the person who helped me. I looked up at Wyatt as he came over. Ms. Deval walked over and he slapped Mrs. Deval a high-five, "Nice shot Wyatt," she said with a grin.

He laughed and they turned to look at us. "Hey you think he'll be okay?" Wyatt asked leaning over my shoulder to look at Sorrow.

"Um… I don't know. I need to talk to Iggy." I said and looked back over to the other kids, "Damn it." I grumbled I felt my eyes change, _Yo Max, come around the corner, bring the flock, Sorrow and I ran into an Eraser. We need Iggy._

"Whoa dude, that was way cool," Wyatt said his eyes wide as he watched my eyes.

I smiled sheepishly, "Thanks that happens when I talk to people in my head." I grinned at his eyes which went wider.

"Cool," He said making the word hold.

"Fang…" Sorrow groaned.

"Hey, hey, Sorrow, relax, Iggy will be here in a-"

"I'm here, I'm here," Iggy called coming up behind me and kneeling beside Sorrow. "Where'd he get hit?" he asked me.

"He hit his head on the poll."

Iggy frowned and felt the back of Sorrow's head. "Well the good news, no fractures, bad news, he'll probably have a concussion and a humongous bruise on the back of his head, good news," Iggy took a deep breath, he'd said that all in one go, "his hair is black will probably make it impossible to see." He grinned at me.

I rolled my eyes at him.

Wyatt cleared his throat loudly. "Oh, flock, Wyatt and Mrs. Deval, Ms. Deval and Wyatt, this is the flock." I mumbled.

Max waved, "Hey, I'm Max," she mumbled. The flock slowly said their names.

"Little Sorrow you okay?" Shadow asked with a grin.

"Is that his pet name now?" I asked returning her grin.

"You know what? Shut it Fang-y-Fang." She said still smiling.

"Sure Sha-Sha." I mumbled seriously and looked at her with a smile.

Iggy gave an exasperated sigh, "Stop with the nicknames," He warned.

Shadow pouted at him, "It's a sibling thing." Shadow said sticking her tongue out at him. Iggy rolled his eyes, but sent her a loving look. It was my turn to roll my eyes.

Sorrow groaned from the ground and I slowly helped him up. "Why do people always have to hurt me?" Sorrow whined.

I smiled lightly, "Because life's cruel like that?"

"Probably," Shadow mumbled darkly.

"Ya, well, it seems that if it's not Sorrow, its Fang, and if it's not either of them, it's me, and then if it's not me, it's Shadow, and if it's not Shadow, it's just got to be somebody else." Max said with a smile.

I gave her a look, but she just grinned back.

"Where'd the Eraser go?" I asked quickly and looked back. He was already gone. "He's starting to piss me off." I grumbled and turned back to Sorrow.

Sorrow smiled at me almost sleepily. I looked at Wyatt and Ms. Deval. I looked at the flock, Max was starting to shepherd us off towards Mrs. Martinez's house.

I sighed and looked at Wyatt and Ms. Deval. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the paper. Sorrow, which was leaning against my side, slowly reached up and took it from me.

He unwrapped it slowly. He read it and gave it back to me. He closed his eyes and a small smile drew itself onto his face.

I folded the paper 4 times before I held it out to Wyatt and Ms. Deval. "Here," I said, I smiled as Wyatt took it from me, "Whatever you think, its fine," I said seriously. I pulled Sorrow closer to me as I turned.

I squeezed Sorrow's shoulder as I turned to walk after Max. He laid his head on my shoulder, "Was that real?" He whispered to me.

I nodded, "Yep," I sighed.

He smiled, "Well, that's okay with me." He whispered and I smiled at him.

"Fang, Sorrow," Shadow called looking over at us. "Hurry up you slowpokes." She called with a smile.

"We're coming." I called to her.

We walked over to her, but she wasn't watching us anymore. She was reading a poster that had been stapled to a bulletin board with a slight overhanging to keep the rain off it.

It was for a talent show, you could sing, dance, whatever you wanted. "I am so going to that."

I laughed, "It's on Friday." I informed her, pointing at the date and pointing out the detail she would have obviously missed.

She grinned, "I am so there," she said with a grin. "Hey what's with Ms. Deval and whatever his name is? They're staring at us weirdly," She said as she looked at the poster, her pointer finger skimming over some words. It was something she'd picked up at the school so that she didn't look like she was talking about something.

"Is one of them holding out a smoothed out piece of paper?" I asked her looking at the poster.

"Ya," She said glancing up at them for only a millisecond.

"I'll tell you later." I promised her. I knew Shadow, if I told her now she'd make a scene.

"What?" She whined at me.

"Later." I insisted.

"Fang!" She whined louder as I pulled Sorrow with me in the general direction of Max's house. "Fang, tell me!" She complained running after me. She play tackled me as we made our way outside school grounds. She complained and pleaded the whole way home, I was sure they'd heard, but I didn't really care at this point.

Outside Max's house I stopped and she waited for me to tell her.

"Ms. Deval and Wyatt, 'whatever his name is'" I grinned as I air quoted her, "Are our parents."

Shadow's eyes bugged out, she blinked a few times, "Sorry?"

I explained to her the sequence of events that led up to figuring that out.

"Oh, my God," she said with a grin. "So, wait, what are we going to do about it?" She asked me.

"That, my favorite sister, is up to you." I said with a smile.

Her eyes narrowed, "You only have one sister," She accused.

"Hence why I said that," I teased.

She smacked my shoulder lightly as I grinned.

"I want to stay with Fang." Sorrow mumbled from under my arm.

"I want to stay with Fangy too." Shadow teased me.

Sorrow frowned, "Don't be mean." He said but he was smiled.

I looked at them, I sighed, "What _are_ we going to do? If they accept us as their kids?"

"They know!" Shadow practically screamed.

I sent her a glare, "What the hell do you think the paper had on it? A recipe for chocolate chip cookies?" I asked her sarcastically.

She huffed at me as I smiled at her.

"So… are we going to go live with them?" Sorrow asked looking a little confused.

I fidgeted, "I don't want to leave the flock, but…" I trailed off.

Shadow sighed, "Let's discuss this later," she started up the steps and we followed her.

The flock was all over us, teasing us about how we were so much later than them. Shadow explained the poster thing, and how she wanted to do it, _and _that we all had to go.

"That's okay; Fang and I are going to sing, aren't we Fang." Iggy winked as if this was all planed and nudged my side with his elbow.

"In what alternate universe do _I_ sing?" I asked him nudging his elbow, by now it had turned into a sissy fight with some elbowing mixed in.

"Stop making fun of me you two," Shadow complained with a grin and came over to join out mini fight. Suddenly the whole flock was wrestling on the kitchen floor.

Sorrow walked into the kitchen and watched us for a second, "You guys are so weird." He said shaking his head, before he grinned and started tickling people.

Now that kid can tickle, Nudge was crying as she tried to roll away from him.

He turned to me, and let me just say, I can't deal with tickling, seriously. You poke my somewhere I'm ticklish and I'm already restraining laugher. I know, I know, you don't expect if from me, but who honestly thinks _I'm_ ticklish?

Needless to say, I was rolling on the floor, laughing my freaking ass off, practically choking on my spit, practically crying, and gasping for air like some fish out of water.

The flock was laughing at the sight of me. I looked like I was half paralyzed and half like I was having a seizure. Two totally different things, yet somehow I think I pulled it off.

Shadow was laughing uncontrollably, "Sorrow, that's not fighting fair, he's too ticklish for this kind of torture," she teased.

Sorrow stopped tickling me and I gasped in between words as I spoke, "I… I can't… I can't breathe." I laughed even though no one was touching me.

"Alright everyone stop with the giggle fest." Max said still smiling. She suddenly cracked up, "I'm sorry; you should have seen your face. It was so red." We all burst out laughing.

Once that was all over, and dinner and homework was done. The little ones had gone to bed and so had Shadow and Iggy. I sat at the kitchen table, staring off into space. I had a job to do now. Think of the reasons, think of the pros, think of the cons, and think about what I would do if they didn't accept us for who we were. What would I do if they didn't want us?

I sighed, Shadow and Sorrow had made it clear, wherever I was, and they were going to be.

So what was I going to do?

Max found me there 30 minutes later, just staring off into space. I couldn't do it. One way I was hurting myself, the other I was hurting myself. One way I was hurting the flock, the other I was hurting my parents. One way I was taking away the only normal thing in Shadow and Sorrow's lives, the other I was keeping them away from their friends, their first ever family.

"What's wrong?" She asked me, watching my face warily.

"If I told you I found my parents, and I was to ask you if I should go live with them or stay here with you, what would you say?" I asked her, looking her strait in the eyes.

"You found your-"

"Max, just answer the question." I pleaded closing my eyes.

She pursed her lips, "I would say, do whatever it takes to make you happy."

I groaned and sat back in my chair, "But I don't know what would make me happy." I said sounding absolutely pitiful. "I want to stay with the flock, you're my family, but I have wanted parents all my life. What the hell should I do?" I asked her a desperate look in her eyes.

She looked down, "Well, who are your parents?" she asked me. I told her. She stared at me, "Ms. Deval?" Her mouth hung open in shock. "Wyatt?" her mouth dropped a little more.

"You can stop that any time you like." I mumbled my eyebrows pulling together and my lips curving downward.

Max sighed, "You know what I say? I say you give them a chance." She looked down at the table, "Just don't forget us."

Inside, I knew she wasn't just talking about the flock; she didn't want me to forget her, at all.

"I won't," I whispered, "We'll come over every day." I said, my eyes wide with sincerity, "and if something goes wrong, we'll be over in a heartbeat." I promised.

She nodded, "You don't have to leave tomorrow…" She said trialing off.

"I know, actually, I don't even know if they want us. I have them the sheet that told me who my parents were. It's up to them whether to act on it or not," I said looking down.

Max sighed, she came over and hugged me. "I'm going to bed now." She whispered in my ear. I nodded and we both got up and climbed the stairs.

That night, I dreamt about how my life would be like if my parents actually kept Shadow, Sorrow and I. I dreamt about how my life would be different, and you know, sometimes I wonder if my mind is _trying_ to depress me.


	22. Back To School For The Delinquent

Chapter 21

(Fang's POV)

The next day I walked to school Ella let Sorrow and I borrow her mp3 player and we walked to school splitting the earphone. Sorrow smiled, "I think I like this song."

"What song?" Shadow asked leaning over Sorrow's shoulder to see.

"Apple bottom jeans," We said with the song, "Boots with the fur, with the fur, the whole club was lookin at her, she hit the flo, she hit the flo, next thing you know Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low. Them baggy sweat pants and the Reeboks with the straps, with the straps, she turned around and gave that big booty a smack, ayy, she hit the flo, she hit the flo, next thing you know Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low" Sorrow and I laughed and the flock just stared at us, before they burst out laughing.

We had just finished saying the chorus as we walked into the schoolyard. We all started splitting up, but Sorrow and Shadow hung close to me. "So, did you come to a decision?" Shadow asked subtly.

"Yep," I mumbled.

"What is it?" Sorrow asked looking up curiously.

"If they say they want to take care of us, I guess we'll give them a try, but we're not leaving the flock behind or anything. If they don't want anything to do with us," I shrugged, "It's their choice, we just nod and whatever." I shrugged again.

They nodded seriously at me. "Let's get to class," Shadow said.

I took Sorrow's hand, "I'll take him, see ya in class." I said and she nodded.

I led him to his class; he was humming under his breath, "Remind me to not let you listen to music early in the morning."

"Why?" he asked. He crossed his arms, getting ready to be defensive.

"You're going to humming all day now and it's probably stuck in you head." I teased.

He frowned at me. "Whatever," He shook his head. He motioned to one of the doors with his thumb and said, "My class, I'm late by the way."

I sighed, "Do I need to say it was my fault or something?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Probably."

I sighed and opened the door. His teacher looked me over. I probably looked like some thug. I was in all black, my hair was messed up, and I had my hands in my black hoodie pocket. I probably looked so chill right now though, and it didn't help that I had recently been suspended. I nearly grinned at her wary face.

Sorrow peaked around me and waved to his teacher.

"Sorry, it's my fault he's late," I said.

She nodded quickly, "that's fine."

I glanced at Nudge who smiled at me; I smiled back and waved to Sorrow before leaving.

I walked to class at a slow pace. When I got there I went over to the teacher, who hadn't started the lesson, looked up at me and marked me late. I didn't even care; I walked through the kids to the back of the class and sat down beside Shadow, Iggy and Max.

"How was your vacation?" Max asked with a grin.

"Relaxing," I answered with a smile.

She sniggered, "Sure."

The teacher finally decided to teach us something so we had to pretend to listen.

When the lunch bell rang we walked into the hallway. Sorrow walked over with Nudge, "Hey, my teacher is afraid of you." Sorrow said happily.

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever."

I saw someone down the hall, her black hair swishing as she looked for someone, me. I nearly groaned I didn't want to do this right now. I didn't want to find out now.

"Ms. Deval, 12 o'clock," Shadow said under her breath.

"I don't want to talk to her yet." I whispered to her.

"Me neither," Sorrow mumbled and Shadow nodded. The rest of the flock seemed oblivious of our little conversation, but we followed them to the left and out of Ms. Devals' sight.

The flock all knew, but somehow I think they wanted to talk about it just as much as we did, which was not at all.

Iggy knew it; I could see it in his pained eyes, he didn't want Shadow to leave him.

Max knew it; I could see it in her grimly supportive eyes, she was trying to be strong for us.

Nudge knew it; I could see it in her worried eyes, she didn't want Sorrow to get hurt.

Gazzy knew it; I could see it in his eyes that were glued to the table, he didn't want us to leave.

Angel knew it; I could see it in her shiny, watery eyes, she wasn't ready to let us go just yet.

I sighed and poked my food with my fork. "Are we just going to avoid the topic?" I asked to break the crushing silence.

"Looks like it," Iggy grumbled.

"Come on guys, we might not even go anywhere," Shadow mumbled.

"It's not like we're moving to Antarctica." Sorrow mumbled.

"That's not it," Iggy said stabbing his food with his fork angrily, "You guys won't be with us, how do to think that makes us feel? Not knowing your okay?"

"Iggy relax, you know I won't let them get hurt-"

"Except it's always you who gets hurt!" Iggy roared suddenly. "What is this? Payback? You get hurt and now you've got to put everyone else in danger?" He growled at me.

Where the heck did this come from? I wondered, but I think I knew. Iggy was passed worried she was leaving, he was blaming me.

"What are you talking about? I don't want anyone to get hurt, especially not any of you." I said calmly to Iggy.

"Then why are you doing this to me?" Iggy pleaded, "You're taking away my world! Just because you want parents." He spat the word, parents; he made the word sound bad.

"I didn't make her decision," I finally yelled back at Iggy, "It's Shadows choice what she does with her life."

"Oh, ya, except she's going to _alway_s side with you!"

"Iggy," Shadow whispered, trying to get him to stop.

"That's that my fault!" I yelled back. I realized we were making a scene, but I didn't really care at this point.

"Fang, stop, please," Shadow whispered. I knew that look, she starting to think this was her fault, and it wasn't. We were just angry, upset and stressed out. I knew after this good brawl Iggy and I would be fine, but right now we needed to get it out of our systems.

"Yes it is, because you're the one who wants to leave!"

"I don't want to leave!"

"Fang, Iggy, stop," Sorrow mumbled in shock.

"I don't know why you even stick around; you only focus on your siblings!" I wouldn't show it, but that one kind of stung. It was kind of true.

"Sure and when was the last time you hung out with Gazzy?"

"Don't bring me into this," Gazzy said almost right away.

"You're just angry that I'm going out with your sister!"

"Oh, ya, right, like I would want anyone _else_ going out with her." I growled. "At least I know you're not going to do anything stupid!"

Iggy was stumped for a second. We both seemed to deflate, "Sorry Fang. That was out of line."

"It's okay Iggy, I know your just worried, so am I."

Shadow looked back and forth between us as we both made up as quickly as this argument started, "That's it? You just fight and make up, fight and make up?" She asked us.

We both looked at her blankly, "What else are we supposed to do at a time like this? At least we got all our opinions out," I said, "And now I'm not as stressed."

"And I'm not as worried," Iggy added.

Shadow looked confused, max just shook her head, "Shadow, don't try to understand the male mind, they have a one track mind, food, violence, food, violence, food, violence, sleep." She rolled her eyes.

All the men at this table glared at her and she just stuck her tongue out at us.

Suddenly we were all laughing and insulting each other.

The day went slowly after that. It dragged on and on and I wanted to get out of here.

When the final bell rang I said to Shadow quickly, "hey, I'll go pick up Sorrow and Nudge."

"I'll go get Angel, Iggy go get Gazzy."

"I'll be in the auditorium for that talent show thing." Shadow called.

I went and got Sorrow. Most of his class was already gone; his teacher was still there, so he called me over to his table, "Hey Nick." He waved.

"Hey Matthew, did you learn anything today?" I asked him seriously.

He nodded, "We learnt about the solar system and how plants go and photo… photo…" He scowled as he tried to say photosynthesis.

"Photosynthesis," a voice answered behind me.

I cringed and Sorrow smiled, "Yes, thanks."

Nudge bit her lip, "I'm going to go catch up with Shadow and everyone in the auditorium, see ya." She got up quick and left.

I turned to face Ms. Deval, "Hey," I said, Sorrow took my hand and I found it impossible to feel awkward.

Sorrow's teacher nodded to Ms. Deval, and Ms. Deval smiled at her before she left.

"So…" She said, I could tell she wasn't feeling awkward either.

I glanced at Sorrow; he smiled and tapped his temple. I rolled my eyes at him. He was making sure we didn't feel awkward.

"Um, I have to go," I said quickly and pulled Sorrow with me.

"Wait, please, I want to talk to you, about the paper."

I froze and looked at her, "What about it?"

"Was it real?" Her voice was no more than a whisper.

"It's real." I told her, "Its okay you know, you don't have to… you can..." I bit my lip; I didn't know what to say.

"What he's saying is…" Sorrow looked up at me, "Its okay, if you don't want to tell people, and don't want to take care of us. We'd understand we're not exactly the perfect children people dream about," He smiled lightly, "We're used to being rejected." He said and it hurt me to hear him say those words.

It was like he really felt he was worthless, that he was rejected, that he wasn't perfect, when really, he was this amazing, creative, smart, cute little boy with a whole different way of looking at life. Sorrow smiled nonetheless, like he didn't mind; only I could see the pain in his eyes.

A look of shock played over her face, "I-"

"Its okay, we have to go anyways," and Sorrow and I exited the classroom. We walked quickly down to the auditorium. I didn't know what she was going to say, I didn't want to know. I was a little bit ashamed to say that I was afraid of what she'd say; logic told me that I should go back and listen to her, fear told me to shut up and keep walking.

Sorrow looked up at me, "What do you think she would have said?" He asked me.

I shrugged, "Sometimes I don't want to know."

"Ignorance is bliss," Sorrow whispered.

"What?"

"Ignorance is bliss. It means that, if you don't know, you can't be upset by something. You don't want to know, because it could hurt you, so, if you never find out, you'll never get hurt." He paused to look up at me, "What? We learnt about it today."

I smiled, "Come here," I said pulling him into a one armed hug.

We made it to the auditorium a few minutes later. The flock, minus Shadow, was waiting outside the auditorium. "They're signing up and practicing." Max told us as we approached.

"Sweet, so what should we do until 7?" I asked, because that's when it was.

Max shrugged as Sorrow ran off to talk to Nudge.

"Let's hit the mall while we wait." Iggy said as he leaned against the wall.

"Ya!" Gazzy and Angel yelled together.

Shadow suddenly pushed open the auditorium door, "Hey, what's up guys? We're going to be a while, so I don't know if you want to wait."

Max laughed, "We were just going to come in to say we're going to the mall, we'll be back at 7, kay? If your done early call my cell."

Shadow nodded and waved as she went back into the auditorium.


	23. The Talent Show

Hey sorry I haven't posted in forever!! I was having plot issues lol.

Chapter 22

(Fang's POV)

At 6:45 we made it back to the school, and suffered through the line, we made it to our seats.

We waited through everyone and finally the host, I think it was the president of the student council, came back on, "Okay, we have one more act, Amelia Depth will be singing."

"Well that was lame," Iggy muttered, "I could have introduced someone better."

The flock shushed him.

Shadow walked on stage and she grinned at the audience, "Hey, I'm Amelia, duh, thanks Peter for introducing me. Okay, hold on, because I have three songs I want to sing. Sorry!" She grinned wider, "The first one is for someone who's _nearly_ always been there for me and I want to show how much he means to me and stuff." She paused and the flock all looked at me, "and the second one is a message for someone I love very much," We all looked at Iggy. "And the third one is just for fun," she flashed another grin.

She nodded toward Peter and he pressed a button on the CD player.

**(A/N: Hey I know it's a song about couples or whatever, but it works)**

"_I always needed time on my own  
I never thought I'd need you there when I cry  
And the days feel like years when I'm alone  
And the bed where you lie  
is made up on your side_

_When you walk away  
I count the steps that you take  
Do you see how much I need you right now?_

_When you're gone  
The pieces of my heart are missing you  
When you're gone  
The face I came to know is missing too  
When you're gone  
All the words I need to hear to always get me through the day  
And make it OK  
I miss you_

_I've never felt this way before  
Everything that I do  
Reminds me of you  
And the clothes you left  
they lie on my floor  
And they smell just like you  
I love the things that you do_

_When you walk away  
I count the steps that you take  
Do you see how much I need you right now?_

_When you're gone  
The pieces of my heart are missing you  
When you're gone  
The face I came to know is missing too  
And when you're gone  
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day  
And make it OK  
I miss you_

_We were made for each other  
Out here forever  
I know we were  
Yeah, Yeah_

_All I ever wanted was for you to know  
Everything I do I give my heart and soul  
I can hardly breathe, I need to feel you here with me  
Yeah_

_When you're gone  
The pieces of my heart are missing you  
When you're gone  
The face I came to know is missing too  
When you're gone  
The words I need to hear will always get me through the day  
And make it OK  
I miss you"_

The song stopped and in the pause between the next one starting up people cheered. I could see Shadow's cheek reddening from here, but she continued.

I couldn't shake the feeling inside as I had listened to the first song. It kind of hurt me, to know she loved me that much and that she was so upset when I left. The next song was more up beat.

_I never cared too much for love  
It was all a bunch of mush  
That I just did not want  
Paid was the issue of the day  
If my girlfriends got some game  
Couldn't be more fly  
Getting paid was everything_

_But I'm not every girl  
And I don't need that world to validate me  
Cause shorty got a job  
Shorty got a car  
And shorty can pay her own rent  
Don't wanna dance if it's not in my heart_

_Most girls want a man with the bling-bling  
Got my own thing, got the ching-ching  
I just want real love  
Most girls want a man with the mean green  
Don't wanna dance if he can't be  
Everything that I dream of  
A man that understands real love_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, o-o-h_

_I was a girl about the floss  
It was all about the cost  
How much he spent on me?  
Seek for a man who's got the means  
To be giving you diamond rings  
It's what every fly girl  
Could want or even dream_

_But I'm not every girl  
And I don't need no G to take care of me  
Cause shorty got a job  
Shorty got a car  
And shorty can pay her own rent  
Don't wanna dance if it's not in my heart, no, no_

_Most girls want a man with the bling-bling  
Got my own thing, got the ching-ching  
I just want real love  
Most girls want a man with the mean green  
Don't wanna dance if he can't be  
Everything that I dream of  
A man that understands real love_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, o-o-h_

_And I'm not every girl  
And I don't need no G to take care of me, no  
Cause shorty got a job  
Shorty got a car  
And shorty can pay her own rent  
Don't wanna dance if it's not in my heart_

_Most girls want a man with the bling-bling  
Got my own thing, got the ching-ching  
I just want real love  
Most girls want a man with the mean green  
Don't wanna dance if he can't be  
Everything that I dream of  
A man that understands real love_

_Most girls want a man with the bling-bling  
Got my own thing, got the ching-ching  
I just want real love  
Most girls want a man with the mean green  
Don't wanna dance if he can't be  
Everything that I dream of  
A man that understands real love_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, o-o-h _

_Cuz I'm not most girls, _

_Don't wanna dance if he can't be... oooh everything_

_I, I just want real love  
Said I gotta have real love  
Everything can, can you be everything that I dream of_

Again the auditorium cheered and Shadow smiled as she tried to hide her blush. Shadow waited almost impatiently for the next song. 'The fun one' I knew already I'd be teasing her about this whole thing for years to come.

_I'm a punk rock prom queen  
Brown paper magazine  
Hotter than you've ever seen  
Everywhere and between  
I'm a ten ticket thrill ride  
Don't you wanna come inside?  
Five star triple threat  
Hardest of the hard to get  
No one's little red corvette  
Ain't seen nothing like me yet_

_It took 6 whole hours  
And 5 long days  
For all your lies to come undone  
And those three small words  
Were way too late  
'Cause you can't see that I'm the one_

_I'm your late night head rush  
Ace high royal flush  
Red velvet orange crush  
You just don't impress me much  
A glossy, double cover spread  
Opened up inside your head  
A black cherry paradise  
Half the sugar, twice the spice  
I don't wanna treat you nice  
Come on baby roll the dice!_

_It took 6 whole hours  
And 5 long days  
For all your lies to come undone  
And those three small words  
Were way too late  
Can't see that I'm the one?_

_It took 6 whole hours  
and 5 long days  
for all your lies to come undone  
and those 3 small words  
were way 2 late  
'Cause you can't see that I'm the one_

The crowd cheered again and Shadow smiled and waved before she said, "Thanks guys, you're a lovely crowd," and jumped off the stage. Peter came back on to speak, but we weren't listening, Shadow ran up the isle to where we were sitting and people were congratulating her on the way, so she had to stop and thank them.

She finally made it over to us, "So… what do you think?"

"Kick ass sis." I said messing up her hair.

"Dude!" she hissed. "We have to go back up there for awards; I don't want to look like a slob like you!" She hissed as we laughed.

"Speaking of which," I reminded her.

"Oh crap, I got to go." She said and ran down the isle and got in line to pile back on the stage. Shadow was the final performance so she was at the end anyways, but I was still sniggering at her weirdness.

They all lined up one stage and they started declaring awards. Everyone got an award for something, whatever it you did, you got something for it.

Shadow got the award for best voice. Was there a doubt that she wouldn't? She was freaking amazing… but I might be a little biased.

I caught sight of someone in the corner of the room. Mrs. Deval and Wyatt, they were smiling; a good sign?

I looked around the auditorium. I froze and did another 360.

"Max, we got company," I whispered to her. She nodded subtly and passed the news down.

As soon as Shadow hopped off the stage I was out of my seat. "Get the others out, I'll get Shadow," I whispered to Max.

She nodded and the others got up. "Meet you on the roof," She whispered as she passed me. I nodded to her and set off running through the crowd.

"Fang, I'm coming with you," Sorrow called catching up with me. I glanced at Max who shrugged and led the flock out with the crowd.

I took his hand and pulled him against the current of people. "Shadow!" I called over people's heads.

She caught up with me and I explained the situation in a rushed whisper.

I noticed two Erasers moving through the crowds. "Good to know they've gone back to basics." I muttered and Shadow sniggered.

There was no other way out, we ran towards the door with Ms. Deval and Wyatt. I nearly considered plowing past them, but they had seen us and were waiting. I made eye contact with them and looked meaningfully at the Erasers. I looked back at them, "Hold the door!" I called as we broke through the crowd. Wyatt pushed open the door and the three of us rushed through.

Unfortunately they followed. I took Sorrow's hand pulled him towards the door that leads to the roof. "Nick!" Ms. Deval hissed as she caught up.

"What?" I said sharply as I turned, "Please, this is _so_ not the time." I said the tension catching.

"Fang, relax, you're scaring me." Sorrow mumbled.

"Sorry," I said quickly.

I glanced at Shadow as she watched the hall, "Move now!" She hissed and pushed me aside so we weren't in eyesight of the Erasers.

"What do you want us to do?" Wyatt asked me.

"Get out of the way, and as soon as you get the chance, get out of here."

"What about you guys?" Ms. Deval asked.

"We can take care of ourselves pretty well." Shadow said, and she smiled. She wanted to talk to Ms. Deval. That was obvious.

I heard footsteps, I sighed. I took the back of Sorrow's hoodie and pushed him into Wyatt as I turned at lightening speed and the Erasers, who were trying to surprise us, snarled and pounced.

I started fighting, the crowd had gone by now, so there were no witnesses. I pulled one of my pocket knifes out of my boot and slashed it at one of them. It got him in the side. He growled and lunged at me. I dodged.

Suddenly there was flare of black hair as Shadow started to fight. I watched her back. Shadow was the kind of person who got easily hurt.

We managed to get them both down at the same time, "Run!" I shouted at Shadow as I picked up Sorrow and ran for it.

Wyatt and Ms. Deval had disappeared a second before that and we now ran down the hall and through the door to the roof. You could hear the Eraser's cries of anger as they ran after us.

We made it onto the roof and the flock was there, without any Erasers.

"What took you guys so long?" Max teased.

"Sorry, we ran into some friends." Sorrow said with a grin.

"And they are still coming," I said picking him up again and getting ready to fly.

"Uh, guys, we got more company." Shadow said poking my arm and pointing at the sky.

There were at least 30 flyboys flying towards us.

"Run!" I wasn't sure who shouted it, but I think we all did. We all turned and jumped off the ledge.


	24. Fighting and Falling

Chapter 23

SORRYYYY I have (and still am) been grounded so I had no time to post this.

But you better love me; this is 7 pages on Microsoft word!!

Chapter 23

(Fang's POV)

We didn't think there was a crowd below us. Below us was practically everyone in the auditorium, looking up at us with a confused and slightly terrified faces.

I pulled Sorrow closer as we shot upwards.

The flyboys reached us and I dodged and dodged. I was half aware of the people screaming below and watching. I was half aware that I could see familiar faces, I was half aware that I had seen my parents.

I was kicked in the side and my grip slipped from Sorrow. I swore and dived. As I caught Sorrow, who was flailing his arms uselessly as he fell, there was an explosion above me.

I swore again. Flyboy bits were going to be raining down on me, sharp, pointy, jagged Flyboy bits.

I pulled Sorrow close and swerved to the right. The ground was rushing towards me. Sorrow's muscles tightened and I sighed, _this is going to hurt_, I thought before I flipped myself over so Sorrow was facing the sky. I slammed into the ground. I felt something somewhere snap and pain exploded somewhere in my left wing.

Unfortunately I rolled, so, I hit the ground and when Sorrow was facing the ground I let him go. I continued to roll and I could feel a few bones snap and I fought against the scream that was working up my throat. Flyboy parts started raining down on us. Some pieces cut me, some just bounced off, but it was like getting hit with sharp shards of glass. I only just restrained a scream.

Sorrow was up in a second, I could vaguely hear the people coming and I couldn't move. Sorrow knelt beside me, terror in his eyes, I moaned on the ground.

"Fang, Fang, come on; people are coming, please get up." He whispered at me, terrified. My eyes closed, I couldn't keep them open.

Someone else landed, I tired to open my eyes, and it didn't work.

"Fang," Max's worried voice was like a painkiller. My eyes fluttered open and closed. "Fang," Her voice was more urgent.

"Come on Sorrow," Shadow's voice was more strained, I hadn't heard her land, I guessed I was fading in unconsciousness if that was the case.

I vaguely heard him say, "No, I don't want to leave him, he wouldn't leave us."

(Sorrow's POV)

I watched Fang with a pained look. The crowd was half walking, half jogging, and half running towards us.

Two people broke the crowd. My parents, I hadn't had much time to think about them. They came up to us and Ms. Deval's eyes widened at the sight of her son. Wyatt looked shocked to say the least.

"Call 911!" Someone screamed that's when I finally heard the crowd. They were all shouting things.

"Call Mrs. Martinez," I hissed at Shadow and she pulled out her phone and dialed.

I looked up at the flock, they were done fighting, and now they were just watching us. Max had not given the signal to land yet.

Shadow talked rushed to Mrs. Martinez and I could practically feel myself crumbling from the inside.

The crowd was slowly surrounding us. I felt claustrophobic and I looked down at my brother, his black wings were sprawled out around him and I could see where his wings were broken, they were bent awkwardly.

Then there was flashing. People were taking pictures. I became angry and upset.

Wyatt was watching me as anger boiled in my soul. I growled softly under my breath. I wanted to scream at them, tell them to stop it. I looked back at Fang and I tears welled in my eyes.

Why did it hurt me so much to see him hurt? Was it because I'd never seen him, in real life, get hurt?

Did I seriously think he was that invincible? That the rules of life didn't affect him too?

I watched him breathe, a comfort in this pain. I looked at the sky, I wanted to go up and fly. I heard an ambulance in the distance, but I knew that all these people could come and go and I'd still be standing here. Wishing, waiting for someone to tell me my brother was okay.

Mrs. Martinez broke through the crowd and she climbed in the ambulance with Fang and I stood there, fighting my tears as the crowd lessened. Max stayed on her knees where she was. Shadow stood tears streaming down her face.

My parents watched my face as I stood there.

The flock landed and Iggy quickly ran over and hugged Shadow. He took her hand and she cried on his chest, she started talking to him, but all I could hear was the rushing in my ears.

I felt someone's hand curl around mine and I looked at Ms. Deval, "He'll be fine." She whispered to me, crouching down to my height.

"How do you know?" I said tears blurring my vision; they were close to pooling over. The words weren't sarcastic or mean. They were just quiet and sad, and curious. Did she know something I didn't?

"I don't," She said simply, "But I don't think your brother would go down without a fight."

I sniffed and nodded. I wiped my eyes because the moister building up was starting to pool over.

Nudge came over and took my other hand, "Don't worry, Fang's a fighter, he's gotten himself into worse."

Ms. Deval and Wyatt looked at Nudge with a new expression, worry.

"How much worse?" Wyatt asked warily.

"Oh you know the usual, Fang has been stabbed, had his side practically shredded by Ari, been in 2 car crashes, thanks to Max," Nudge took the time to give Max a look.

"Hey, that was my first time driving on the highway okay?" Max said sounding even more defensive than usual. Their eyes widened noticeably.

"Ya, but we all nearly got whiplash," Nudge shot back, "Anyways, he's had hundreds of broken bones, cuts, his wings have been clipped a bunch of times, although that doesn't really hurt, and… ya… the list goes on."

I sighed, "Just one more thing to put on the list I guess."

"What are we going to do Max," Gazzy said, "People took pictures, they know who we are."

Max sighed and rubbed her temples. "I don't know yet. We need to go to the hospital." The flock started after Max.

Shadow stopped and turned to our parents, "I never got the memo," She said to me and to them, "What's happening with _us_ now." We all knew what she meant.

"Well actually, we don't have an issue with taking care of you guys." Wyatt said.

"It's actually kind of why we divorced in the first place, see…" Ms. Deval stopped and bit her lip.

"We know about the whole teenage pregnancy thing, you can skip ahead." Shadow said in a bored voice.

"Oh, okay." Ms. Deval said looking embarrassed, "So we gave all you up right and then we got married when we were older and… I don't know, it was… odd."

"She means: it was weird because we ended up together even though we gave up you three and then we kept getting anger about that so we decided to stay friends." Wyatt finished.

I nodded, "Makes sense."

"Well of course it does to you Mr. Feelings." Shadow said poking me.

"Stop that…" I paused trying to think of a good insult and settled for narrowed eyes.

"What?" Our parents said in confusion at the same time.

"Sorrow feels feelings; that's his power."

"Ya and you control people with your voice so shh," I said sharply.

"Oh you wanna go little boy?" Shadow asked a grin on her face.

"Ya, I think I do," I retorted.

"Bring it shrimp."

"Okay," Ms. Deval said holding the word, "Can everyone relax."

"So, basically, what we were saying was that, we'd be honored if you three stayed with us." Wyatt said glancing at Ms. Deval.

Shadow nodded, she glanced at me, "okay, but we'd like to talk to Fang first."

"That's fine," Wyatt said, "Do you want a ride to the hospital? I have a car."

Shadow nodded, "Sure."

She took my hand with a smile and we all started towards their car.

"So… do you think cheese and popcorn tastes good together?" Shadow said glancing at me with a grin as she walked.

"Yes!" I said excited now, "I like cheese and popcorn! I like cheese and popcorn!" I shouted as I jumped up and down.

"I am never giving you cheese and popcorn again Sorrow if you don't relax." Shadow one day had given me cheese and popcorn as a treat when Fang was out. It was so good! It was a total accident actually. We had some little blocks of cheddar cheese and we had plain popcorn so… we just put them together. It was Pure Heaven… in a corn kernel.

Ms. Deval frowned while Wyatt laughed, "What? Cheese and popcorn _is_ good." He defended himself.

"I know right!" I said still excited.

We had reached his car now and piled in.

As we drove to the hospital I lay my head against Shadow's shoulder and closed my eyes.

Shadow was suddenly shaking me awake. "Hey, hey buddy, we're here." I yawned and pulled myself out of the car after Shadow.

She hugged me close as we walked towards the hospital, where there was a crowd with cameras waiting. I frowned, "Shadow what's all this?" I asked her with a whisper.

"Nothing, just stick close." She answered and looked at our parents. She whispered rushed words that I was too tired to hear. We pushed through the crowd. There was a big security guard at the door. Ms. Deval showed the guard something; he nodded and let us in.

The flock wasn't in the waiting room so Ms. Deval went to the front desk to ask about that. She came back a few moments later, "Hey they're in the room farther down waiting for him to wake up. I'm going down there," she said.

Shadow nodded and said, "I'm coming, Sorrow, are you coming?"

I curled up on one of the seats, "No, call me when he wakes up though okay? I just want to sit here for a while." I said sleepily, yawning a little.

Shadow nodded and Wyatt said, "I'll stay with him."

He came and sat with me, I closed my eyes and I knew the people were taking pictures and things, but I didn't care. Sure I was so worried about Fang I was going to start screaming, but I couldn't see him unconscious on a hospital bed. I just couldn't see that.

I sat there with Wyatt and he was quiet as I rested my head on his shoulder. After a while I yawned and asked, "You want to play cards or something?"

He looked down at me and said, "Sure, do you have a deck?"

I reached into my school bag, which I still had with me, and pulled out a deck. He smiled at me and shifted in his seat. "What do you want to play?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, how about cheat?"

He laughed, "Doesn't work with 2 people, how about war?"

I smiled, "Okay. Aces are high?"

"Ya," he said with a smile as he dealt the deck out.

We played a few games on one of the tables they had in the waiting room. I tried to ignore the people with cameras, but it was hard when they were constantly looking at us with cameras and things.

I felt insecure, I was afraid to leave to see Fang, I was afraid of the people. There was no way to win. Just when I was going to lose it I heard and earsplitting shattering sound.

I covered my face as the glass shattered and I screamed. Erasers and Flyboys were coming in and the people were taking pictures and filming.

I jumped up and ran for it, "Sorrow!" A voice growled, "You can't run! You can't hide! We will get you, you can't escape," They droned.

I didn't stop running. They had left Wyatt alone. Good, I wouldn't want him harmed by them.

I ran down the halls and I could hear them. "Fang! Shadow!" I screamed as I ran.

Something clawed at my arm and sliced through my hoodie, I felt warm blood seeping out of my arm and into my hoodie. I screamed in pain, but I kept running. Suddenly there was a flurry of black hair. Shadow was here, and she was pissed.

She growled and the lights went out. "Fools, you should know better than to mess with my brother." Her voice was so creepy I was still shaking.

I heard a growl from an Eraser before it cried out in pain. I felt a disgusting claw cover in a cloth cover my mouth. I tried to scream, but I couldn't; I was slipping into unconsciousness.

The cloth was a sickly smell and I gasped as I went limp. Shadow would never know, I hadn't screamed or anything. I was half aware that I was being dragged down a hall and I couldn't move. I couldn't even whisper.


	25. Going Home

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

(Fang's POV)

I heard him, I could feel him, I felt when they slashed his arm, and I was in pain. I gasped and I broke through the unconsciousness, "Sorrow!" I screamed in pain. My back arched in pain. I could hear doctors working like crazy. I gasped at the pain. This was excruciating. I couldn't go to him, and it hurt me more then anything else.

Shadow was already gone, and the flock was halfway out the door. I tried to sit up, Doctors held me down, "No," I moaned, "I need to help."

"You need to relax," the doctor said. I could see Ms. Deval in the corner watching me with worried eyes. "Don't make me sedate you." The doctor threatened.

My eyes watered, "No..." I moaned, "He's going to get hurt, I know it, I know it! I need to go!" I screamed as I tried to pull away.

"Fang, please relax," Ms. Deval said coming over and holding my hand.

"Ms. Deval, don't you dare tell me to calm down when my little brother is in danger." I growled and closed my eyes, "I have to." I whispered. "I need to."

She shook her head, "You don't need to do anything, anything but rest."

Anger boiled in me, "You're not the one who protects him! If you were me you wouldn't be saying that!"

"Your sister and the flock will save him, and if he does get captured we'll save him, okay? Just relax, everything will be okay." She said and I almost believed her. I felt myself slipping; I guess they were sedating me so I would stop freaking out.

(Max's POV)

I slowed at the black hallway and I saw someone farther down dragging a small boy. "Flock help Shadow," I ordered and the lights turned on to see Shadow beating the Erasers to a pulp. Man, she does not let people hurt her brother.

I ran down the hall after Sorrow. I vaguely saw Wyatt running down the hall towards us. I ran at my full speed. I growled as I came up to the Eraser. I attacked him and he dropped Sorrow. He turned to fight me. I fought hard; my love's life was about the boy unconscious on the floor. He loved this boy more than everything, even me, which was saying something.

The Eraser growled at me before fleeing. I turned around to the boy on the ground. I knelt beside Sorrow. I checked him over, "Sorrow, please, wake up, Fang is going to be freaking out. Please, please, Sorrow." I whispered.

I picked him up, cradling the little boy close to me, and ran. The Erasers were leaving and the flock ran over to me. "Is he okay?" Nudge asked with wide eyes.

I nodded, "I think so, let's go. Fang is going to be freaking out, or unconscious, 'cause they probably had to sedate him." I said and Shadow smiled.

I felt something wet and sticky and I figured Sorrow was bleeding. Wyatt and the flock all walked back over to Fang's room.

He was unconscious and Ms. Deval ran over to us, "Oh my God, what happened?" She gasped looking at her other son.

"Erasers, he's only unconscious and his arm is injured, that's all." I informed the doctors and Mom and the doctors pulled off his hoodie to take a look at the damage. They stitched up the places needing stitching and placed him in a chair, still unconscious.

20 minutes later Fang started to wake up again. He groaned, "Sorrow," the word slurred.

"He's fine Fang." Ms. Deval said, "Just like I said."

Fang groaned and his fluttered open and closed, I leaned down beside his ear, "He _is_ okay Fang. He's just unconscious, that's all," I whispered in his ear.

A smile spread across his face and his hand reached up to stroke my face. "Thank you," he whispered, I smiled.

We all rested for a while, suddenly Sorrow yawned, he rubbed his eyes and Fang lay there watching Sorrow with a watchful look.

He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times. "Fang," he croaked and Fang held out his arms as he ran over and hugged him. "Are you okay?" Sorrow asked after he cleared his throat.

Fang chuckled, "Are you?"

He shrugged, "Sure, fine, I guess, Wyatt and I played cards." He said with a smile.

"Cool," Fang said rubbing his arm.

Sorrow winced, "Ow." He said and a look of pain crossed his face.

"What is it?" Fang asked.

"Oh, the Eraser clawed my arm, that's all. It's okay," He said turning slightly and lifting his shirt a little so he could see the stitches. The skin around the stitches was an angry red, so I assumed it was a little sore.

Fang frowned and Shadow rolled her eyes, "We took care of it Fang." She said.

"The reporters are going crazy out there by the way." Ms. Deval added, "We should leave soon."

Fang nodded and got up, "Okay." He said in the middle of a yawn. He put an arm around Sorrow and Sorrow rested his head on Fang's arm.

(Fang's POV)

I hugged Sorrow close as we walked. His feet were dragging slightly and I picked him up. He put his arms around my neck and closed his little eyes. He fell asleep soon after that. I could hear his slow breathing in my ear.

We walked out the front door and I ignored the reporters. Sorrow moved slightly in his sleep.

We got into Wyatt's car and Ms. Martinez's car. Shadow, Max, Sorrow and I got in Wyatt's car. Sorrow still rested in my lap, so we had an extra seat for Max.

It was awkwardly silent. I had broken my wings and my back was searing in pain at the light pressure against the seat.

"Somebody say something," Shadow whispered desperately after a while.

"You just did," I teased Shadow.

"Shut up Fang," Shadow said with a smile.

"Make me," I whispered at her.

She stuck her tongue out at me.

Max sighed and rolled her eyes, "I had to have the middle seat, didn't I." She muttered and we all laughed.

Shadow leaned forward into the front side of the car, "Sorry, I can't stand the silence," She said as she turned on the radio.

She nodded to the music. Sorrow stirred in his sleep, "Wyatt could you turn it down a bit? Sorrow's getting restless."

He glanced at me in the rear view mirror. Little Sorrow struggled to get comfortable again and Wyatt turned down the music a bit. He settled and nuzzled closer to me.

Ms. Deval was looking at me with pride in her eyes, "You've done a wonderful job taking care of them Fang." She said looking like a proud mother bird seeing her chicks fly for the first time. I smiled at my smile, it was so true.

I shrugged, "It's what I do."

Max laughed, "No, it's what I do, I take care of them. You obsess," She chuckled and Shadow laughed as she nodded with Max.

"Oh hush you hyenas," I said with a smile.

Shadow sniggered but she cut it short because Sorrow was wiggling again in my arms. "Jeez Sorrow, get comfortable already," she whispered at him with a grin.

He mumbled something in his sleep and was okay again. I rubbed his back and he smiled and totally relaxed.

Shadow hummed along to the song for a while. Finally Max blurted out, "Okay, can someone please tell me what the heck is happening with all you? I am so confused. It's so chaotic it's driving me insane."

We all looked at each other for a second, "You had to ask didn't you," I said shaking my head at her. I smiled to show her that I was kidding.

Wyatt sighed, "Well as I said before, we don't really mind either way."

"Well that's just great because we have no idea what we want anymore," Shadow ranted.

Ms. Deval rubbed her temples, "Mark is going to kill me; I was supposed to meet him 2 hours ago."

I saw Wyatt scowl in the rear view mirror, "Mind not thinking about yourself for a second?" he asked her sticking his tongue out at her. She scowled back.

"Who's Mark?" Shadow wondered out loud.

I sighed; Shadow had a habit of doing that.

"Nobody," Ms. Deval said. "So, back to the conversation, you can stay with us if you want. Maybe we should wait and let everything calm down first..."

"Nah, I like explosions of surprise. I don't know if Sorrow can take anymore of it though, it always tires him out so much," Shadow said with a grin at the sleeping boy in my lap.

"'S not," he mumbled in his sleep, "I'm not… tired…." He mumbled yawning.

"It's okay Little Sorrow. You sleep," I whispered in his ear while rubbing his back.

"Hmm, okay Fang," He mumbled, he nearly didn't get out my whole name before he fell asleep again.

Wyatt and Ms. Deval gave each other a look filled with pride.

"What?" I asked glancing at Max who just rolled her eyes and shook her head at me.

Shadow gave me a look as she shook her head, "Such a sweet older brother, aren't you Fangy?" She whispered reaching around Max to pinch my cheek.

"Anyways," I said giving Shadow a look, "So… are we going to stay with you… for a while…." I said glancing at Max.

Wyatt shrugged, "If you want to, I have two extra bedrooms… Eliz only had one. So you could stay at my place… but I think we should wait and let everything calm down about you guys. They probably know who you are after all." He paused, "Max, which house is yours?"

"That one," Max said pointing. He nodded and pulled into the driveway. "Um… want to come in?" Max asked politely.

"Sure," Ms. Deval said getting out of the car and we headed toward the house.


	26. Learning to Fly

Ya I know you hate me for taking so long… but here we go

_Ya I know you hate me for taking so long… but here we go!! Nice and long chappie!!_

Chapter 25

(Sorrow's POV)

As I lay in my big brother's arms I dreamed, or rather, I had nightmares, Erasers, Flyboys, Whitecoats…. They haunted me behind my eyelids. Whenever he rubbed my back it was like he was fighting the beasts away from my soul. I was restless. Trying to move away from them, but the gentle hum of his voice and my sister's voice lulled me into happier dreams.

I was woken up, I remember, but I couldn't remember in detail. The world and the words were all fuzzy. I drifted in and out of consciousness. I do remember Fang laying me on the bed and me gripping his shirt, and when he tried to pry my fingers loose I mumbled, "No, please, I don't want the nightmares to come back…" My eyes fluttered in the darkness when I sensed his stillness.

I saw him smile in the dark, "Don't worry, I'll be right downstairs, I'll be up here in a heartbeat if anything happens." He promised and kissed my forehead, "Go to sleep," He whispered and I was already drifting off into dream land.

(Shadow's POV)

We all sat at the kitchen table as Fang brought Sorrow upstairs. Ms. Deval… or Elizabeth… or Mom… or something… was having a little talk with Mrs. Martinez in the corner, they were both whispering, and giggling, like two little school girls.

Wyatt was leaning back in a chair and talking quietly to Iggy who was nodding and looking like he was really deeply involved with the conversation. I smiled at him from across the table. He smiled at me around my father and I could tell he was asking me to come over there with his eyes. I got up and came around the table. I placed myself in his lap and Wyatt gave me half-cautionary look. I guess he figured Fang would do enough cautioning for the both of my parents.

"But you get what I'm saying right? Upper grade sciences are too messed up, because you have no room to do all three sciences if you really want…." Wyatt said as if I hadn't just dropped into the lap of the person he was having the conversation with.

"Ya, I know I wanted to do Bio, Chem., and Physics, and maybe psychology next year, because I passed this grade's science standards so they are thinking about putting me in the next grade up, and it's totally stupid because I can't do all them, because I still got to take P.E…." Iggy said and I smiled, I should have known this would have had something to do with science.

Fang descended the stairs then and gave me a look, "Shadow, there are more than enough chairs, it would be wrong to put a strain on one chair… maybe you should move over one." Fang hinted sitting beside Max while giving me an almost evil eye. I sighed and slid into the chair next to Iggy. Iggy sniggered and shook his head.

"So, what's the plan?" Iggy said turning to face all of us, "Because you just know everybody's going to freaking out tomorrow… which means the while world is going to come down on all of us." Iggy said speaking his mind like that again. I sighed, just another reason why I loved him.

"I think we got to move again…" Max said looking like she'd rather do anything else.

The flock groaned, "Max, no one wants to move states again…" Fang whined.

"What else can we do Mr. Broken-Wings?" Max asked losing her patients with Fang for once. He smiled at her and she gave him a look.

"Fang, come on, you think they are going to _let_ us go back to school?" I said with a grim facial expression. He just watched me for a second before he looked at the table and sat back, defeated.

Nudge sighed, "To the next state over then…"

"We can't go to DC…" Gazzy put in, as he stared at the table.

Fang froze in his seat, "Erasers," was all he had to say. We were all up and in action in a second. There was crashing in a second. I flipped on the CD player. I grinned, "Country Music. Gotta love it," I said with a grin.

Fang rolled his eyes at me. A scream made Fang freeze. The two of us were out of the room in a millisecond. We both bolted up the stairs. We ran into Fang's room and Sorrow was no where to be seen, but the Erasers were clawing at the bottom edges of the bed.

I realized Sorrow had gotten under the bed so they couldn't get him. Fang pounced on one of them and I started taking the energy from the room. I grabbed an Eraser and drained him so much he only had the strength to walk away. I did this to the rest of them and the ones fighting Fang bolted from the room. Sorrow rolled out and hugged me.

"Come on," I said and took his little hand. We ran downstairs and I picked him up as I jumped over the railing.

When we landed he steadied himself and said, "Don't do that again…."

Fang grinned at me and ran into the other room. Ms. Deval and Wyatt looked really worried and confused. "Here, have a little Sorrow." I said pushing Sorrow at them. Wyatt rolled his eyes as I ran into the other room.

(Fang's POV)

I fought hard, one of them threw me at the wall and I slammed against it, I swore loudly as my back exploded in pain. I growled and realized I kind of blew through the wall a little bit. I grabbed him and threw him at the wall, he grabbed me and we both went flying through it into the kitchen.

"Fire in the hole!" Iggy yelled.

"Iggy!" we all screamed as he threw a bomb at the Eraser pinning me to the floor.

"Christ!" I shouted and we rolled out of the way.

"No bombs in the house nimrod!" Max screamed at him. "No swearing Fang!" She yelled and punched an Eraser in the mouth.

I pushed the Eraser off me. Shadow danced over to us and put him in an easy headlock and started to drain his energy.

I went back to fighting and we were fighting okay, until I felt the barrel of a gun pressed against my right temple. _Oh fuck_, I thought in annoyance.

"Freeze," An Eraser's voice growled.

I looked at Shadow I moved my eyed up twice, and then side to side twice. That was a code for an attack we worked out for this exact situation.

Seriously, what else is there to do in a cage if not work out plans for escape and such?

She looked up and slinked into the shadows and disappeared. My mother watched me with horrified eyes. I ignored her.

"Come on all you, we're going back to were you belong," He growled.

I recognized that voice, "Out of curiosity, are you the hospital Eraser?"

He chuckled, "Good ears bird boy."

I smirked, "I know better ones," I said glancing at Iggy. He smiled and he was obviously having a hard time focusing on the Eraser instead of Shadow.

I knew she'd be reappearing behind him right now. She wouldn't touch him but she'd start to drain him with her fingers just skimming the surface of his clothes.

I could feel him getting weaker. I moved so fast to him, because he was nearly drained and his reactions were slower. I pushed the gun away from my face like lighten. He shot but his bullet hit the floor and I threw him over my shoulder. I snatched his gun away and ran for it.

I glanced back at Shadow. She was right behind me. The Eraser got up and ran after us. We ran onto the back porch. He pulled out another gun but we had already jumped over the railing and fell to the ground in a crouch. He emptied the gun on the porch and we ran into the yard and I started taking apart the gun. I threw different pieces at different parts of the yard. He had slowed to a walk now and Shadow walked over and patted his shoulder, every pat draining him more. "Go home freak," and continued to walk towards the house. He opened his wing and flew, sloppily, away.

"I told you that plan would work," I said sticking my tongue out at her.

She scowled at me; she shook her head, and said "I need to release the energy. I can't focus with all this in me." She lay down on the couch.

I grabbed her hand as I walked past. I felt weirdly more alive as I did so. I smiled, "It's better than caffeine." I commented and she laughed. I did a back flip right there and then and did another as I moved I turned mid air and did a ordinary flip.

Gazzy, Angel and Nudge got curious and started touching her to see what happened. They giggled at the reaction. Max grabbed her hand and grinned. She suddenly ran and did a cartwheel and a back flip. "Hey, it is like caffeine…." She muttered.

Sorrow ran over to me and I hugged him as I picked him up. "You need to learn to fly soon," I commented to him.

"I'll teach him!" Nudge said jumping up. "I'll teach him right now!" She said with a grin. She grabbed his hand, full of energy. The two ran outside. I followed them. Shadow jumped off the couch and ran over to them. She took Sorrow's hand and he jumped, I gave her a confused look.

"It's so he has the energy, nitwit." She said sticking her tongue out at me.

"You're just like a little battery aren't you," I said with a grin and ruffling her hair. She rolled her eyes at me.

Nudge opened her wings and flapped them as an example. Sorrow did the same. We all sat in front of the busted up porch. We let the parents talk. We had the CD player going and were basically having dance off, but it was mostly between Angel, Gazzy and Shadow, because the rest of us were too chicken to dance.

I glanced at Iggy and he motioned me over. He whispered in my ear, "You want to dance?" He asked me with a grin. I raised an eyebrow at him in surprise. He motioned me over again. He whispered the plan in my ear.

So we got up and did the Macarena to some rock song I'd never heard before. The rest of the flock joined in and Nudge and Sorrow glanced at us and shook their heads. I caught sight of the two of them running and Nudge burst into the sky. Sorrow was right behind her. We stopped to stare. Sorrow flew kind of awkwardly, but he could do it just fine.

We started cheering him on and he grinned. Nudge helped show him a few things and I could see how happy he was. I glanced at the porch, my mother and father were there smiling at their flying son. Pride was in their eyes.

I looked back at him and was itching to go flying. I could live without flying for three days, seeing as that's how long it should take for my wings to heal.

I casually walked up onto the porch and stood beside my mother, my arms leaning on the half broken railing. She glanced at me, "What was your first time in the air like?"

I was silent for a moment, thinking back to the time where I felt Jeb was truly someone sent from freaking God. He had been everything to us, and in an instant he took that all away.

"It was better than anything I'd ever experienced," I paused to smile, "But then again, my life wasn't anything good till then. Before that I spent most of my time in my room reading or whatever. I didn't talk to the rest of them till months after I arrived at the house in Colorado, but you have to understand. The only friend I ever had was Shadow and Jeb took me away from her.

"It was a while before I started talking to the others. Jeb taught me to fly, it was one of the first things I'd ever done with other people. Plus the feeling of being weightless and free was something I'd never experienced. In the first moments it was the first time I actually stopped thinking about Shadow and actually lived." I said as I thought back.

When I looked back at them they were staring at me, "What?" I said innocently.

Wyatt shook his head, "Crappy life that's all…."

I shrugged, "It's still a life. You learn to appreciate the tiny moments in life when you live like this. You learn to love moments like this one." I said watching Sorrow fly.

He suddenly shouted over to me, "Did ya see that Fang? Did ya? Did ya see?"

Truth was I missed it so I smiled and said, "I don't know, maybe you should do it again just in case."

"Okay, okay watch me. Are you watching?" He asked with a grin.

"Ya, I'm watching Sorrow, I'm watchin'," I said and he and Nudge flew up high and dived, they pulled up again their feet just skimming the grass. They both circled overhead like hawks and I smiled.

"Cool Sorrow, great job, but you got to tilt your left wing more, there ya go." I looked back at my parents, "What was I saying?"

"You appreciate life," Wyatt summarized.

I nodded, "Exactly. You know, the glass is half full… crap like that." I looked up as the last remains of the sun broke through the light clouds. I smiled softly as its rays warmed my skin.

I stood there for a moment basking in the warmth; I felt something growing in my bones. _That sure ain't the work of Vitamin D…_ I thought before pain exploded everywhere.

I screamed as I seemed to leave the present world and crumpled to the ground. I could feel all the presences in the area and my mind seemed to search feverously for an escape, a way to release.

"Max!" I screamed. My hands were searching for hers. The pain was excruciating, I could feel it under my nails. My hair was in pain! Everything hurt. I felt her cool skin and the pain left my fingertips.

I could hear Sorrow freaking out and the flock working.

A stream of swear words made their way to my lips and I screamed, "Call Jeb!"

I heard movement but I was lost in the pain. I was losing my sanity; it was being blown away with the wind as the pain rolled through me.

(Max's POV)

I ran to the phone and dialed so nervously I screwed up three times before I got it right. When I got him he sounded confused. He started to ask why I was calling when I shouted into the phone, "I don't give a damn Jeb; get your ass over here!"

"Whoa, Max, what's wrong?" He said sounded worried, I usually didn't swear.

"You wanna know what's wrong? This is what's wrong," I said and right on queue Fang screamed in agony, it shattered my heart to hear.

"Oh crap, I'll be right there," he said and hung up.

I ran back over to Fang. He was in the fetal position and everyone was crowding around him. Sorrow was looking at all us with an upset and agitated look. I guess our worry was hurting him. "Fang, hold on okay, he's coming," I said through clenched teeth. I hated having to resort to calling Jeb for help, but seeing him in such agony… I couldn't just let him get through this without help.

His breathing was ragged and pained, "Max, it's cold, too cold," he shivered and I saw him shaking.

"We got to get him inside," I said and the rest helped me carry him to the couch. I took his hand and I was surprised to feel that they were like ice.

"Something is wrong…." I whispered, "I mean other then what is obviously wrong." I rolled my eyes because the flock had just given me a 'duh' look.

"What's going on?" Wyatt asked with a confused face.

Shadow began to explain about Fang and how he feels the pain of the world and that this sometimes just happens. Jeb arrived a few minutes later and only glanced at Wyatt once, who was leaning against the wall with a worried look, before starting to work.

He took Fang's temperature, his heart rate, and a bunch of there stuff. Fang's breathing was off, pained.

"Fang, can you hear me?" He asked Fang gently.

His eyes open and glare at the man before him, "Unfortunately." Fang probably hated this more then me, which was understandable.

"Can you tell me what hurts the most?"

Fang was silent for a while. "My soul," he said so quietly I was sure I heard wrong. His face contorted in pain and he screamed with his back arching.

One of Jeb's eyebrows lifted in confusion, but he had no time to ask anything because a voice was coming out of Fang's mouth that wasn't his.


	27. Forgetting

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

(Fang's POV)

I gasped in a breath after screaming, but a voice excited my mouth that wasn't mine and I couldn't control it. My eyes were glued shut and I couldn't feel anything anymore.

"Hold your tongue and listen for once, pitiful soul sucking bastard." My eyes would have widened in surprise at my voice. It was deeper, and menacing. "I am Pain, Angel of Suffering, and as my soul wanders the world with this body it will feel the pain I lift. Listen carefully, the Lord wishes to see those who's hearts are pure and carry wings on their backs."

"Fang?" Shadow's voice was worried and I hurt knowing I was scaring her.

"Fang? That is the boy's name is it not? You're brother…."

"Uh ya, I don't understand, have you always been there? In him I mean?"

I… he… whoever let out a chuckle, "Of course, he and I are one, the same and different at the same time. Listen children, you are, truly, Angels, Earth-Born Angels that is. Angels of certain qualities, you girl, his sister… you are the Angel of Life, watcher of the night and bringer of death and life. His brother… Angel of Emotions… enough said there," we chuckled. "You all have your abilities, pros and cons. I am really new at this actually… trying to break through his mind and barriers…" We chuckled again, "He's a tough one I'll give him that." I could hear them laugh, "Tell him when he wakes… I don't know if he'll remember this or not…."

"Wait, when your eyes are black, is that you?" Max asked.

"Yes, I can see clearer when he reads people's minds, when he allows me through. He can't read minds, I can."

"Did he know you were there?" It was Sorrow who asked.

"No, he never knew, until now… but he is probably going to forget… forget a lot of things, for a long time. I'm sorry, I don't know how much he'll remember, if anything, or how long it'll be gone…" and with that I disappeared.

(Shadow's POV)

We were sitting hearing him scream, a sound I prayed would stop soon, I could hardly stand it.

He gasped in a breath after screaming, but a voice excited his mouth that wasn't his. I stared open mouthed with wide eyes as his eyes flew open, black as night and said, "Hold your tongue and listen for once, pitiful soul sucking bastard." My eyes widened even more in surprise at his voice. It was deeper, and menacing. "I am Pain, Angel of Suffering, and as my soul wanders the world with this body it will feel the pain I lift. Listen carefully, the Lord wishes to see those who's hearts are pure and carry wings on their backs."

We all looked at each other in confusion while Jeb looked like he just heard a cat bark. "Fang?" I asked feeling worried and scared; I wished I could see Fang's deep pools of brown again.

He looked at me in confusion, "Fang? That is the boy's name is it not? You're brother…." He said and I stared at him.

"Uh ya, I don't understand, have you always been there? In him I mean?" I frowned as I asked; I was so confused and afraid… what was happening to Fang?

Fang let out a chuckle, "Of course, he and I are one, the same and different at the same time. Listen children, you are, truly, Angels, Earth-Born Angels that is. Angels of certain qualities, you girl, his sister… you are the Angel of Life, watcher of the night and bringer of death and life."

Whoa, that was news to me. I glanced at my parents they had the same facial expression on, confused with their left eyebrow up. The flock stared at me.

"His brother… Angel of Emotions… enough said there," he chuckled. "You all have your abilities, pros and cons. I am really new at this actually… trying to break through his mind and barriers…" he chuckled again, "He's a tough one I'll give him that." The flock burst out in laugher; that was so true, I felt like my heart was shattering nonetheless. What was going to happen to my brother?

"Tell him when he wakes… I don't know if he'll remember things or not…." I sucked in a breath, how would I live without him remembering? How will I live with him forgetting?

"Wait, when your eyes are black, is that you?" Max asked the black eyed Fang.

"Yes, I can see clearer when he reads people's minds, when he allows me through. He can't read minds, I can." Fang said and we looked at each other.

"Did he know you were there?" Sorrow's sudden question surprised me. I hadn't thought of that.

"No, he never knew, until now… but he is probably going to forget… forget a lot of things, for a long time. I'm sorry, I don't know how much he'll remember, if anything, or how long it'll be gone…" He said as his eyes closed again.

I stared at him, I was so afraid now. I didn't want Fang to forget, Fang seemed to remember everything about everyone. He seemed to take good care of me. How was I to survive in this crazy world if I had to take care of him? Was I strong enough? Was I brave enough?

We brought Fang upstairs and I was so confused and so afraid and so worried.

Two days after Fang went unconscious and didn't wake up Sorrow jumped up in the kitchen and screamed. "Everyone stop worrying! You are driving me insane!" He screamed at us. We all stared at him and I was going to comfort him before he glared at me and shouted at me, "Don't even think about saying something comforting! I don't want to hear it! You are all making me crazy and I don't care anymore! You hear me? I don't care! He can die for all I care," He burst into tears and ran out of the kitchen after that.

We all looked at each other. I sighed; we were all skating on thin ice. No one wanted to talk to anyone else, let alone see each other; Sorrow spent a lot of his time on the roof with Nudge. The two of them just lay there on the roof and he listened to her talk. Sorrow was an incredible listener.

I spent most of my time in Fang's room with Max. We just hung out, played cards, waited for Fang to wake up from whatever was happening.

Max always stayed there, always watching, always waiting. Iggy and I took walks sometimes; the walks cleared my head really well too.

I was in the room with Max, we were playing Stratego, when Fang woke up. He sat bolt up right in his bed, scaring the crap out of me.

He stared at us for a few seconds and we stared at him. Suddenly he jumped out of bed and started backing away from us, "Fang…." Max said warily getting up.

"Keep away from me. Who are you? Why am I here?" He said fear in his eyes for once.

I glanced at Max, "Fang, that's you, I'm Shadow, your sister…. This is Max… you're good friend and girlfriend. Just relax okay, everything will be okay." I said very slowly, my hands up as I walked toward him. He reminded me of a wounded animal.

His wide eyes were locked on me, beside me Max moved a little and his eyes flickered to her and back.

"Fang… relax… we'll explain everything, calm down." Max said taking a step towards him.

Sorrow suddenly burst into the room, he walked right past us and walked strait up to Fang. He stood there in front of him, "You have nothing to fear. If we were going to hurt you, we'd have done it while you were unconscious. I'm your little brother, we are you're family, why would we want to hurt you?"

Fang stared at Sorrow for a second, Sorrow closed the gap between them and Sorrow hugged him. Fang hugged him back, his eyes closed, "What do you remember?" Sorrow whispered.

"Nothing," Fang answered, opening his eyes so we could see the glassy orbs that stared off into space, a look of horror passed over his face. "But I do now…." Max and I looked at each other.

What was he remembering?


	28. Remembering

Sorry for keeping you in the suspense for so long… I've been busy… I've finished this book-thingy… but I'm making a sequel… if you want one

**Sorry for keeping you in the suspense for so long… I've been busy… I've finished this book-thingy… but I'm making a sequel… if you want one.**

**So tell me if you do…**

**(Oh, and don't freak out… you've still got like 4 chapters to go before you hit the last one lol)**

**I own this plot, but nothing else… sad eh?**

Chapter 27

(Fang's POV)

I could remember the school, I could remember the flock and Jeb; I could remember everything. Pain rippled through me and the little boy, Sorrow, held me the whole time. I could remember Pain. I could almost hear him in my head, telling me once the rest of them had faded away that he had to merge our minds momentarily to pass on my powers over to me.

Pain was temporary; he wasn't even a living soul or an angel or anything really. He was, apparently, just a feeling, but he was taking care of pain since I hadn't been born yet. When he entered my head it was the most painful thing I'd ever experienced, now that I could remember.

Now that Pain was here I can't be hurt, but I still kind of controlled how much things hurt people. I could be emotionally hurt, but that was it. If I get punched it would only tingle, but it would not hurt like it used to.

He had explained to me the angel stuff. We were immortal, kind of; we died, and went to heaven. That much was guaranteed, but what we did down here wasn't. Our personalities determined what we were the angel of. I was the angel of suffering because I could take more pain than others before I snapped.

He'd explained the others too; Sorrow was the angel of emotions because he felt the emotions of others and could change them if he tried. Max was the angel of Leadership and Wisdom because she was the leader and pretty smart. Shadow was the Angel of Life, watcher of the night, bringer of death and life, because of her powers. Angel was the Angel of Innocence, because she was sweet and almost completely innocent of everything. Gazzy was the angel of Chaos, enough said I think. Iggy was the angel of Fire and Nudge the angel of Speech, obviously, who else would they be?

_Fang, can you hear me?_

Pain's voice rang in my head, every word a pounding headache in my brain. _Ow… ya, unfortunately…._

**Oh, don't be such a cry baby, it doesn't hurt that much.**

_Oh? Do you feel pain… Pain?_

There was a pause. **Yes and no….**

_So you can't talk now can you!?_

**Well you know what? I don't care so there!**

_Ya? Well that… that sucks._

**Okay, okay, enough fooling around, I'm very glad you can still hear me. I did it the fast and somewhat more painful way than wisdom did. That idiot, she took so much longer and is so cryptic too. No wonder Max has no clue what she's talking about half the time.**

"Huh?" I said out loud and I suddenly was aware of Max, Shadow and Sorrow's face expressions. They looked really, really confused. "Uh, do you guys remember someone named Pain?" They nodded, "Ya, he's in my head now…."

"Ya, you're eyes are darker, not black or brown, just… darker…." Max mused as she looked into my eyes.

"Oh, ya, by the way, the voice is named Wisdom. You're the angel of wisdom, apparently wisdom was supposed to go into your head first and get you to figure it out and stuff… and apparently still is but Pain thinks she's being an idiot by taking so long…." I said trying to remember exactly what Pain had said.

"She? Wisdom?" Max asked looking confused before she stared off like she was talking to 'the voice.' Max laughed, "She said that Pains an ass so she doesn't care what he says."

**That little booger… I hate her….**

_You hate Max? Or Wisdom?_

**Wisdom, duh! I don't have anything on Max. She's a smart girl. Stupid smart ass, if she'd been wise Max would have figured out she was an angel like a billion years ago.**

I sighed, the voice in my hair was fighting with the voice in Max's head… now that's just messed up.

Max's face was one of horror and I stared at her, "What?" I whispered.

She shook her head, "Wisdom says that your voice nearly killed you…."

I stared at her, _is that true?_

It was silent.

_Is it?_

**Yes. I'm sorry; I told you I'm new at this. That's why you were cold and you didn't wake up for so long and lost some memory…. Your body was deciding if it wanted to give up, but I knew you wouldn't… you were too strong to die now. There was something in your mind that held on and it didn't want to leave.**

_What does that have to do with anything? Strong, smart, courageous people die every day! Just because I'm strong doesn't give me anything. Besides… do you even know what was holding me down here?_

He was silent for a minute,** I can't tell you, but it's a gift, even I am not sure how it works, but this… thing holds you here until you are okay with dying. Well, like, until your ready and you think this world is ready, and then you will be okay with dying. You didn't want to die, so you didn't. People can shoot you 5 thousand million times, but if you don't want to go you won't, but it has to be for the reason that you want to stay.**

_Well… what's the reason I want to stay?_

He was silent.

I was silent for a long time, staring at the ground, Max stood across from me as if she was just waiting for me to see her. Shadow and Sorrow had left and I couldn't look at her.

I let out a shaky breath, "He says that it's true, I could have died… but I wouldn't have, because something, which he won't tell me, is holding me here, and until I feel ready and that the world is ready for me to leave, and then I'll leave." I muttered. "Apparently it's a gift, like I could be shot multiple times and not die kind of thing." I looked up at Max. She ran at me and hugged me.

"I will never want you to leave." She whispered in my ear.

"I know… but these things are inevitable." I whispered back to her.

She sobbed on my shoulder; I knew she hated crying so I just held her tightly against my chest.

"Come on, let's go downstairs and try to figure out what to do with our lives." I whispered to her.

She nodded, "Okay, I love you, Fang, never, ever leave. Please." She whispered in my ear.

"I won't… until you're ready, I won't leave." I whispered back.

She shook her head, "That's not the same thing… but I'll never be ready for you to leave."

"Then I'll be right here as long as you are," I whispered back and she hugged me tightly. "I love you so much Max, I don't know if you realize how much."

We held each other there for a while, I felt so whole when I held her. She fit perfectly and she was so warm.

After I changed a shirt we walked downstairs and my mom ran over and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back and she brushed some hair away from my face. "Don't ever do that again!" she scolded me.

I laughed, "Sure, mom."

She stared at me as I walked away and sat down. I knew it was probably the first time I called her my mom, but she was and I was sick of calling her Ms. Deval.

Sorrow sat next to me while I ate some cereal even though it was 6:30 at night and he kept smiling at me every five seconds. I stared to laugh when he kept doing it. "What? Everybody is just so happy. It's driving me crazy…" He laughed.

I laughed and Wyatt burst through the door, "Fang!" He yelled and ran at me suddenly hugging me tightly. I glanced at Sorrow and he just started laughing. "We were all so worried."

"I know… mom already freaked out at me," I said.

He smiled, "Elizabeth, the news is starting to wind down a bit and stop talking about the flock."

Elizabeth took a sip of her coffee and nodded, "Good, I was thinking we could move to another near by town… you know? Do you and the flock want to move in with me for a while?" My mother asked.

I looked around for Max, "Max?" I called wondering where she ran off too.

"Ya, I'm coming! I'll be right there," She called from upstairs. She ran down the stairs with a dressed in army green pajamas gasman, "Sorry, he didn't want to… never mind… what's up?"

"I was thinking that if you guys want you could move in with me in another city…. See I'm moving to a nearby city with my uh… my uh boyfriend… so I was just wondering if you wanted to come with me…." Mom muttered and tried to hide the word boyfriend as much as she could.

"Boyfriend!?" Sorrow, Shadow and I all seemed to shout at the same time.

Wyatt covered his mouth to keep from laughing.

"Crap…" Mom muttered and put a hand on her forehead.

"When were you planning on telling us about his boyfriend?" Shadow said standing and placing hands on her hips.

"Five seconds ago when I told you. I didn't say you had to move in with us. I just wanted you to know what he'd be there if you did…."

Shadow pushed away from the table and bolted from the room. I got up and ran after her. She could blow up really badly sometimes. She ran into the back yard and she took off.

"Shadow!" I called as I ran into the yard and I flew after her. I vaguely realized that my wings were fixed.

I flew after her and I glanced at the ground and I saw Sorrow and my parents watching us.

Shadow kept rising and rising. She was going to lose oxygen sooner or later and finally she flew too high and she seemed to float there for a second before she started to fall. I caught her and held her close.

She cried on my shirt, "I'm sorry… I just… I… I…. It's bad enough that they're not together, but that they are dating other people!" She started bawling.

I held her closer and I nodded, "I know, Sha-Sha. I know, but they had to move on with their lives. It's okay, look, I know it's kind of awkward and stuff, but maybe he'll be cool." I said not really believing my words. I could love everything about the dude but he'd never be anything close to my father, Wyatt.

She nodded and gripped my shirt tightly, "Okay, just promise me something…."

"What?"

"Just don't let him give us any shit…."

I laughed, "Who do you think you're talking to? I don't let anybody get away with shit around me."

She smiled, "Good."

She held onto me as I flew down a bit and finally she let go and I grinned at her, "Free fall?" I asked her and she nodded with a grin.

We just let ourselves fall. I closed my eyes for a moment and fell. After a while I opened my eyes and Shadow laughed and grinned. She spread her arms out and screamed and just had fun.

I laughed at her and flung my wings out, I was yanked back, "Ow, dude, not fun!" I yelled to her as she did the same and she laughed and nodded.

We flew down to the house and when we landed I hugged her and when I pulled away she gave me a small smile and fidgeted, "What was that for?"

I shrugged, "For being here for me when I need you to, because," I looked around to make sure no one could hear, "I probably couldn't do this without you…."

She smiled and I put an arm around her shoulders. "Does that mean I get to do whatever I want now?" she asked as we walked towards the house.

I laughed, "Nope."

She sighed, "I knew you'd say that."


	29. The Promise

_**I own this plot, but nothing else… sad eh?**_

**This chapter is dedicated to all my reviewers… I don't usually acknowledge you guys, but you're the dudes and dudettes that get me though the day sometimes.**

_**YOU GUYS AND GALS RULE!!**_

Chapter 28

(Fang's POV)

I walked into the house, my arm around Shadow and she was calm and she was ready to talk everything through.

They were waiting for us in the kitchen. I dropped my arm and held her hand. "I'm sorry, I just overreacted." Shadow said avoiding their eyes.

"It's okay Shadow; I didn't realize that it might upset you…" Mom said slowly.

Shadow opened her mouth but I cut her off, "Mom, you don't need to apologize, and neither do you Shadow. Both of you have nothing to be upset about, but… do we get to meet this guy?" I asked cautiously.

Mom glanced at Wyatt, dad. "I think so… I'm going to meet with him tomorrow for dinner. If you want you can all come over to my house and meet him…." She said trailing off.

"Okay, by the way, when you said we could live with you mom, I think that'd be good… but what about dad?" Sorrow asked glancing up at me, "I want to stay with him too."

Dad's eyes softened at Sorrow and he smiled, "I think we can work something out like that," He said glancing at me. I kind of realized they were all asking me permission to say stuff and do stuff.

I smiled and glanced at the stairs. Max was sitting there; she was watching me with a sad expression.

"Excuse me," I mumbled to them and I headed to the stairs. Max took off up the stairs and I went up after her.

I found her in her room staring out the window. "What is it?" I asked her.

"I don't know what I'm going to do… I don't want to leave you guys with them, I still need you, but I don't know what to do with the flock…."

"Stay with us, we can jump back and forth between my mom and dad. It's not that big of a problem." I said walking towards her.

She looked at me, "It's all going to end soon."

"What is?" I asked her feeling confused.

"This, Wisdom says that one of us will die for all of the flock… all 12 of us, if you count Total."

"12 of us?" I asked after I did the math in my head, there were only 9 of us. "Where did the other 3 come from?"

Max shrugged, "I don't know… I'm so tired of guessing though, which one of us will die? Who are the other two who will come? I just want all of this to end!"

I hugged her tightly, "I won't let it end. I will keep you safe Max; I will take care of you."

"That's what I'm afraid of…" she whispered.

"Max, I'm not going to die, didn't you hear me before? I can't die until I think you will be okay without me."

"I know, I know," She whispered.

"I love you so much Max."

"I love you too Fang…. Fang, can we… can we somehow make it official?" She asked.

"What?" I asked feeling really confused.

"I don't know… have like a… like a pre-marriage kind of thing… what's it called… a, um… it's like a promise…. It's like the equivalent to getting married to someone, but it's just a promise to love a person forever." She said looking kind of embarrassed.

"So… basically you want me make you a promise that's like a marriage but not a marriage? Like an engagement thing?" I asked feeling even more confused.

"Sure… kind of like that."

I wasn't really sure why she would want that. It wasn't really like her, but I nodded, "Sure, whatever makes you happy Max."

She smiled, "I know it sounds really weird… but I just want to be sure that you will love me and only me…."

"You don't need a promise to know that."

"I know, but I just want to."

"Okay, so… I promise to love you forever and ever and I will not love another woman the same way I love you…. Happy?" I asked her.

She closed her eyes and nodded. She repeated what I said and I smiled at her. I had to admit it did sound kind of nice to know what she would love me in a different way from the flock and only love me like that.

She sealed it with a kiss and smiled at me, "I love you Fang."

I laughed, "I know." I got up, "So Max, are you coming with us to my mom's tomorrow?" I asked her.

She shrugged, "Sure."

I smiled, "I'm going to go put Sorrow to bed. It's getting late." I said and got up.

She smiled at me as I left the room. I went downstairs to find Sorrow sitting beside dad on the couch; his head was against Wyatt's shoulder.

"Sorrow!" I yelled from right behind him and they both jumped.

Sorrow turned around and rubbed his sleepy eyes, "Oh, sorry, let me just restart my heart, what's up?"

"Sleepy time kiddie," I said and he smiled and held out his arms and I lifted him off the couch. He rested his head against my shoulder and I walked into the kitchen and Shadow and mom were deep in conversation, "Sha-Sha, bed time? Anytime soon?"

"Fang, I can stay up later than 11! Come on!" She complained.

"I'll deal with this one, Fang. You get that little trouble maker in bed." Mom said sending me a wink when Shadow wasn't looking.

"I'm not a trouble maker, Fang's the trouble maker," Sorrow muttered sleepily and I rolled my eyes.

I brought him upstairs and I dropped him on his bed. He jumped up and went to find his pajamas. I turned to go downstairs again when he asked, "Aren't you going to bed?"

I turned and said, "Ya, but I'm just going to the bathroom first."

"Oh, okay…" He smiled as he grabbed his pajamas. "It's just you never go to sleep at the same time as me… and it seems like every time you're not here something bad happens."

I nodded and left for the bathroom. In the hallway I stood there feeling really confused. I went off to the bathroom and when I came back he was lying down and 'asleep.' I could tell he was waiting for me to go to bed too.

I sighed and put some stuff away before turning off the light and climbing into bed.

I heard Sorrow sigh, "Thanks Fang."

I smiled and chuckled, "Go to sleep Sorrow," I muttered with a smile.


	30. Photographs

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

(Shadow's POV)

I paced in Max's and my room. We were about to go over to Mom's house and hang out and eat pizza before she brings _him_ over.

I knew he couldn't be that mean if my mom was dating him and if he is I know Fang won't let him bother me or Sorrow, but what if even Fang can't stop him? What if Fang can stop him from hurt us but he can't stop him from hurting Fang?

I shook my head; Max stepped into my room and took my hand, pulling me towards the door. I smiled at her as best as I could.

Max paused to watch me for a second, "Why do you feel better when people hold your hand?" She asked randomly.

I shrugged, "You've been waiting to ask that for a while…." I stated and she nodded, "Well… I don't know… I just feel better, it makes me feel like I'm not alone and I'm safe. Whenever I was scared at the school Fang held my hand and he wouldn't let go until I was okay. He would promise me every time that he'd be there to hold my hand and keep me safe…. I guess when people hold my hand I just remember his promise and I know he won't let anyone hurt me…." I said and smiled at Max.

She smiled back, "He won't let anyone hurt you, not even your mom's boyfriend."

I nodded, "I know."

She led me downstairs and I saw Sorrow sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of juice in front of him. Fang came downstairs and saw him. He saw next to him and held his hand. I smiled at them and went to wait with Iggy.

(Fang's POV)

Sorrow was staring off into space with a glass of juice in front of him and I went to sit next to him. He glanced at me and he looked down. I reached across and held his hand. "Sorrow," I said and he looked up at me, "I'm going to keep you safe. You don't have anything to fear." I whispered to him and he smiled at me and took a sip of his juice.

"Come on," I said and stood up, he got up too and I went into the living room to get the others. We went into the backyard and took off. We landed in the alley behind my mom's house and we went inside.

It was about 4:30 and I knocked on my mom's back door and she threw it open with a grin. She welcomed us to her house and we all piled in. She called a pizza place and we all said what pizza we wanted. We got a full one to ourselves.

Mom let out a little giggle after she hung up, "The guy thought I was having a party."

I smiled and went to wander through her house a bit.

I was upstairs when I saw a bunch of picture. I looked at them and picked one up. There was a dark brown wooden frame around the photo. It was mom, but younger, at the hospital, it looked like it was right after she gave birth and a younger Wyatt was there. She looked like Shadow, only a bit older. Wyatt looked a lot like Sorrow and I. My eyes watered as I looked at the photo. They were holding two little bundle things. I stared at the babies in the bundles of blankets.

I smiled and put the photo down, I picked up another one. There were so many photos of us, my mom and dad must have taken as many as they could before they had to give us up. The photo I had picked up had a delicate silver frame around it. The frame was made of several different thin strands of silver metal all wound together. It was me, my mom was holding me and I was surrounded by a blue blanket. I was reaching for her nose and she was smiling at me.

I laughed, I was a beautiful baby. A voice behind me made me jump, "Cute huh?"

I turned to look at my mom, "Jeez you scared me."

"Sorry," She chuckled, she smiled down at the photo, "Oh, I love this photo." She said stroking the frame around the photo. "You were so cute, I didn't really want to give you up after seeing you… but I'd already signed the forms… and my mom wouldn't have let me keep you. She thought I would have ruined my life if I kept you." She shook her head, and looked up at me, a small smile on her face, "I don't think she realized that giving you up was just another way of ruining my life."

I looked at the photos, "Sorry… if it makes you feel any better, my life sucked too." I said and laughed; she gave a small laugh and smiled at me.

She sighed, "Fang, can you promise me something?"

I looked at her, "What?"

"Promise me that you'll watch out for your brother and sister… no matter what happens. Just promise me you'll always be there for them when no one will listen and no one will understand and even if you don't agree with them, or if you don't believe them, just please… just please keep them safe."

I stared at her, "I promise, but you should know, I already do that."

"I know, I know, but… I just want to know for sure… that you will always be there, even if your dad and I aren't."

I nodded and looked back at the photos. I saw one photo, it looked like me but I, for some reason, could tell it wasn't me. I picked it up and looked down at the baby in the photo. The baby had half his hand in his mouth. "Is that Sorrow?"

Mom smiled, "Ya, he was a funny baby, I was going to keep him, I mean, I'd already been though the pain of losing you two and I didn't want to go through that again, but my mom became a… witch and made me give him up too." She sighed, "I named all of you… did you know?"

I looked up at her, "Really? What were our names?"

"Well, I was going to name you Marshall, after my dad, even though you were a baby you looked like him and when you were a baby you were really strong, like my dad. I was going to use Cole as your middle name, because when you were born you had these black eyes. They were beautiful and your hair was black and you would just giggle like you knew it and loved it. I would have called you Cole more often though, I liked that name better, but I knew I wanted your name to be Marshall. Shadow was going to be Zoë, because she was so beautiful and I've always loved that name. Sorrow was going to be Riley, for Wyatt's real dad's name." She paused as she picked up different pictures and looked at them.

"You… uh… took a lot of time to name us and stuff…" I muttered.

"Ya, I know." She laughed slightly, "Weird huh? You weren't even going to be mine, but every night I dreamed about you all growing up with different families and what it would have been like." She paused, "It was strange… it didn't matter if the parents who got you loved you or not, the dreams were always nightmares. To think that you'd love someone else like you should have loved me. To think that you'd never know how much I loved you three…. To think that somewhere you might be ignored and abused… that was worse."

I turned to her and hugged her. I always knew my mom loved me, but I have no idea how much. If she saw me and the others almost every night to see me in her dreams one way or another made me realize it. She hugged me back fiercely, like she never wanted to let me go.

I close my eyes and just stayed there, I don't know how long it was but I heard someone call our names and I sighed, "We better go see who died." I muttered and slowly pulled away. She laughed and slowly let me go and we walked out of the room.


	31. The Boyfriend

_**Okay, this here is the moment that you all should look at yourself and say, "I am so lucky" because right now I'm in the moment were I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY!! Want to tell you what is happening…**_

_**I call it 'Rapid Posting'…**_

_**You will quickly learn to love it.**_

_**It does happen every so often with me when I write ahead of my posts….**_

_**Which I do a lot.**_

_**Anyways**_

_**HERE YOU GO YOU LUCKY PEOPLE!**_

_**3 chapters in roughly 2 days… I must love you reviewers lol.**_

Chapter 30

(Fang's POV)

I was back in the room with the photos. I was sitting with all the photos around me and I picked up every photo and looked at it, memorizing everything about it.

Mom had left a few minutes ago and the pizzas were here, no one going to be looking for me.

I heard someone walking up the stairs. I sighed, and picked up another photo and placed the other down.

"What are you doing?" Sorrow asked coming into the room.

"Looking at our baby pictures…" I muttered.

He slowly walked over, "Can I see too?"

"Ya buddy," I said and he sat in my lap and we started all over again and I told him that his name was actually Riley and mine was Marshall Cole, and Shadow was Zoe.

He held his baby photo in his hand and stared at it. "Wow…" He whispered, "I was so tiny…" He muttered.

I smiled and nodded.

After a long time of us just looking at the photos without talking I heard more footsteps. Shadow came by the door and saw us with all the pictures.

"What are you doing?" I was asked again.

"Looking at our baby pictures," Sorrow answered for us.

She smiled and sat down beside us and looked at the photographs with us. I told her about our names and she rested her head on my shoulder, "Wow…" She whispered, "I never realized we were loved so badly. I never realized that we had a family who would trade everything to get us back."

I smiled at her, "I know," We sat there for a while just looking at the photos. "Come on," I said starting to pick up the pictures and put them away, "We need to go get ready to meet mom's boyfriend." I muttered getting up and Shadow grabbed my hand and Sorrow was under my other arm and he rested his head on my shoulder.

We went downstairs and I waited on the couch with Max. Max held my hand and slept on my shoulder while we waited. Nudge and Gazzy ran into the room and turned on the TV. The rest of the flock soon followed, Total cozying on up to the TV and wagging his tail as we watched 2 hours of The Simpsons.

I heard the door unlock I couldn't move. I was afraid and Sorrow gripped my hand and smiled at me. I smiled shakily at him as mom called, "Guys! Are you still here?"

"Ya, mom, we're just watching TV."

"Okay… well can you all turn around and meet my boyfriend?"

I sighed and got up pulled Sorrow with me. "We're coming." The flock slowly followed and Total managed to turn off the TV.

I got up and I was the first to make it to the hallway and see the guy, Mark, he had blond hair and blue eyes. He stared at me like I was something from another world.

He glanced at mom and asked, "Are they all yours?"

"No, no, only Fang, Sorrow and Shadow."

He looked at her like she'd lost her mind.

She laughed, "I mean…"

"Marshall Cole, nickname's Fang," I said and elbowed Sorrow.

"Riley, or Sorrow" Sorrow said with a grin and my mom beamed.

"Zoë, Shadow," Shadow said holding out her hand he shook it still looking a little confused.

"These are our friends, Max, Iggy, Nudge, Angel and Gazzy. Oh and Total," I explained.

"Oh sure, now you remember I'm here!" Total yelled looking offended. I nudged him with my foot.

"Okay…" He said slowly, "Cool…"

I smiled and rolled my eyes, "Nice mom, pick the one that can't talk for shit." Max nudged my back for swearing.

"Fang," Mom hissed at me giving me a stern look.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Nice to meet you."

He nodded, "So… uh… do you like being called Marshall, Marshall Cole, Cole or Fang." He sniggered.

I rolled my eyes, "Cole or Fang I guess." I paused to glance at my mom and she smiled at me. Mark nodded and started to move back over to the kitchen.

Sorrow glanced at me and followed me. Max snagged my arm and whispered, "What's with the new names?"

I realized I hadn't told her and I whispered the whole name thing to her. Iggy and Nudge listened in as I told her and in a second the whole flock knew.

We wandered into the kitchen and Max said next to me, Sorrow on my other side. Mom went to the kitchen to make some coffee, "So… uh…" Mark said as he thought for a second, "Elizabeth said that you were a good singer…." He said to Shadow.

She nodded, "I guess…."

"Don't lie, you're better than good," Iggy remarked and I could tell she kicked him under the table, Iggy just grinned.

I sniggered and Sorrow looked up at me like some lost puppy. I smiled and shook my head slowly. He nodded and looked at the dude.

"So, Mark," I had to work not to sneer his name. I didn't realize that it would be this hard to talk to him. I thought I could just be cool and act natural… but _nooo_, I was angry and I was stressed and I didn't want him within a hundred miles of my mom. "What do you do?"

"I'm training to be a Professor of Avian Medicine… you know… birds and whatnot," Mark said and mom smiled at me from the kitchen.

We were all floored to say the least. We all burst out laughing and my mom frowned at us, but mostly me, I figured she expected me to be mature about all this, but hey, she was the one always telling me that I was the kid.

I gasped in some air and looked at his confused face. "Is there even such a thing?" Iggy asked and I had to hold another laugh down.

"So… uh professor… what do you know about birds?" I asked seriously everyone looked at me with grins. They knew that I'd be smarter than him here.

"Well I don't know… what do you want to know?"

I grinned and my mom coughed and set a glass of ice tea in front of me and whispered a warning "Don't" in my ear.

I smiled innocently and took the glass, "Thanks mom."

Sorrow smiled at me, "I think birds are cool. Especially black ones, black ones are the coolest…."

"What? You're just saying that because... you like black the best…."

An argument broke out over which bird was the coolest and Mark looked really confused and mom looked kind of sad that everything was kind of falling apart.

I looked at her and I knew what I had to do, "Guys! Does it really matter… can we focus here?"

She smiled at me and sat down next to _him._

We all settled down and my mom smiled at us. "So Cole, do you play any sports?"

"I go wolf hunting every once in a while…" I muttered and mom sent me a severe look, "kidding… I do a lot of sky diving I guess…."

"Oh so do I! It's so fun! You should try it," Sorrow said.

He laughed, "Uh, ya, but I'm afraid of heights so probably not a good idea…."

"Really?" Shadow said looking astonished, "I mean you're a bird professor dude… how do you study birds if you're on the ground?"

"Uh, we don't really have to look at them too much, but we have binoculars-"

"Oh, those won't do! You've got to be in the air to understand birds," Sorrow said. I knew where they were going to eventually go with this.

"Guys… another time…" I hissed and they looked at me in surprise_. I don't like the guy either but do you want mom to skin us alive?_ I asked them in my head.

**Fang, my power isn't really yours to use you do realize…**

_Shut it, your mom's never had a boyfriend._

Shadow muttered something that sounded like "party pooper."

I looked back at the guy, studying him closely. My mom was talking so I snapped out of it to listen, "So," She said, "Mark and I are moving in together in another town and you can come and live with us sometime if you want. Wyatt said he can take you guys whenever because he's got a pretty big house… so… ya." She muttered.

I nodded absentmindedly, "Sure mom…."

I suddenly heard his thoughts; I might have to live with the brats? God, when I started dating her she never said anything about kids and now I might actually have to live with them. Christ, well I hope they can get lost long enough for me to get close enough to Elizabeth to….

I stopped listening then. I noticed mom watching me and I felt sick.

"Well Mark," again I found it hard not to sneer his name, "It's a pleasure to meet you… but I got to go…" I trailed off and got up. I headed for the back door.

"Cole, are you okay?" My mom called as I fumbled with the door knob.

"Ya mom, just… feeling a little weird…." I said and ran into the backyard. I slammed the door behind me and threw myself into the air, not caring who saw me.

I was gone in an instant. I couldn't believe that Mark guy. He had practically just told me he was dating my mom to get into her pants and I shuddered and I flew and flew.

My eyes had started to water a while back and they were close to spilling over. I landed in a park and paced in anger. I was past feeling sick and upset. I was angrier then ever. I turned and punched a thick tree and my hand made a small dent in it but my hand was now pulsing in pain.

"Ow, damn it Pain you said stuff wouldn't hurt as much," I growled as my hand just started to numb a little.

**Quit complaining, I wasn't expecting you to hit the damn thing.**

I snarled under my breath, "Did I break anything?" I muttered as the pain continued to pulse.

**Do I look like a doctor kid?**

I sighed, "I was just wondering if you knew…"

I swear I heard Pain sigh,** Almost you idiot… there is one bone that is danger of snapping now though… so now stop punching random objects.**

I groaned as it pulsed in pain, although the pain was numbed it still was pretty bad and I leaned against the tree I had struck and tried to relax.

**Hey, you gunna be okay?**

_I don't know…_

**I meant about your mom…**

_Pain I really don't want to talk about it._

**We aren't talking Fang… we're thinking back and forth…**

"Shut up," I groaned out loud.

**Fang… Fang you're about to pass out! Stay with me! You're almost in trouble! Come on buddy wake up!**

"Shut up Pain…" I whispered as I was about to drift away into unconsciousness.

I saw someone approaching me slowly. I looked at the guy in his mid twenties and he stared at me as I cradled my hand against my chest as it continued to pulse.

"You're… you're one of those kids… from the news…."

**Say no,** Pain said immediately.

"Why do you care punk?" I snapped as my hand flared in pain.

**That's for not listening to me.**

"Are you going to hurt me?" The man asked me suddenly afraid.

"Does it look in the mood or the shape?" I snapped as I winced at the pain in my hand as it increased.

**SHUT UP! STOP TALKING TO HIM!!**

"Do you need any help?" He asked something shining deep in his eyes.

"What I need is a lot of painkillers." I snapped as the pain seemed to double in an instant.

**STOP!! TALKING!! AND GET UP OFF THE GROUND!!**

He glanced up and my head whipped around and I saw two people, one was a cop and the other looked like a vet gone mad in a lab coat. I jumped up and started to back away.

How did I not realize that people were creeping up on me…. I must have been distracted by my hand.

The twenty year old grabbed my upper arms and I yelled, "Get off me!" and managed to get a hold of his hand and take a bite out of it.

He yelped and let me go.

I was gone in an instant. I bolted from the dude and I heard people start to shout and ran after me. I was just thinking of flying when Pain snapped as if he was whispering in my ear, **don't fly, they'll tranquilize you faster then you can blink!**

A guy jumped out of no where and tried to grab me and I ran around him easily. I nearly got caught by another guy but I dived and rolled, I was up and running again.

I vaguely heard someone say, "Christ… who trained this kid? The Navy? Jeez."

I grinned and dodged a guy before 5 guys managed to surround me. My breathing was only slightly off.

_Any ideas, Pain?_

**Uh… I'll tell you when I get one.**

_Crap._

More people were gathering and starting to close in. My hand was still throbbing and I held it to my chest as I thought about it. I knew I looked like a wounded animal… hell I was. Any second now they'd get to close and I was going to lash out at them.

"Wait!" someone shouted. I glanced at the guy in the coat who I had seen before. "Don't, he's hurt! If you try to catch him he might react badly."

"Hey, moron with the coat," I snarled and he looked up at me in surprise, "I can talk and I can hear you," I said slowly and clearly so he would get it.

He turned a few shades pinker and I noticed some of the guys take a step closer. I glared at them and they looked frightened.

"Sorry… um… is your hand hurt?" The lab coat dude said.

"No," I said my voice thick with sarcasm, "I just love to randomly hold my hand like this and wince every so often."

He stepped inside the circle of people and slowly approached me.

I laughed at him, "Nice try, back up, Professor Lame-Brain."

"I just want to help…"

"Oh sure, you all 'just want to help' until somebody winds up getting the snot kicked out of them or being locked in a cage for years or getting betrayed by people you thought were your friends. So don't even think about it and back up." I snarled at him, giving him a dirty look. A few of the guys looked at each other and a few inched closer.

The guy in the coat stared at me for a while I guess he was wonder about my past. **Fang! Look out! Tranquilizer headed strait for you!**

I gasped and moved as fast as I could but there was no point. The thing was launched into my left thigh and I ripped it out in anger. "Damn it!" I cursed, "Not again." I muttered before everything began to swirl and go black.


	32. Freedom The End

Okay… I'm going to end this story here… but I'm most definitely going to make a sequel… so don't freak out if you like this, but this story has like a million plot lines and I need to end it

**Okay… I'm going to end this story here… but I'm most definitely going to make a sequel… so don't freak out if you like this, but this story has like a million plot lines and I need to end it. lol**

**I own this plot… but nothing else. I know… sad isn't it.**

Chapter 31

(Fang's POV)

When I woke up again I was lying on a rather soft bed and I kept my eyes closed, listening for anything I could over hear while they thought I was asleep. I could feel a thick, strong, wide, bandage wrapped around the palm of my hand. I assumed it was for the bones that I'd nearly broken.

"Professor Dodge I seriously think you're making a mistake, this… thing is an abomination and should be shipped off to… to… I don't know… area 51 or something."

"Mr. Wayne, remember you're place here. I am the authority and I say that we try to learn a little about the boy. He obviously has been through a lot. The x-rays and such all seem to say that he's had a hard life and I say we should just try to understand him for now."

"But, Professor, we should put it out of misery if its life is so bad…."

"Mr. Wayne, if I have to remind you one more time that he's a he and not an it I will personally throw you out a window. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, let's see if he's awake. Shall we?"

I continued to pretend to be asleep as they enter my room or cell or whatever and I heard the guy who'd been defending me say, "Are you awake yet? Or are you pretending to sleep so that we'll leave you alone?"

I tried not to smile but it was hard so I chuckled and opened my eyes, "Smarter then you look and sound Mr. Dodge." I saw that there were thick bars between the two of us and there was a decent sized window in the corner of my room. I think there was chicken wire through it though.

"Good hearing, but since you know my name, can I have yours?" The guy who'd been wearing a lab coat in the park before asked.

I sniggered, "No," I answered simply and he smiled.

"This is my assistant Mr. Wayne." He said and I gave him a look.

"Cool. When can I go home?" I asked immediate and dreaded the answer.

"Uh, as soon as we just get some answers. We don't want to keep you hostage or anything. We just want to understand how you managed to live in this world so long and still be pretty much undetected." Professor Dodge said.

I clapped my hands together and rubbed them enthusiastically and I jumped up. "Okay, let the questioning begin."

"Well, what we kind of want to really do is do a documentary kind of thing on you and you're… friends."

"You're joking right? Right? Max will never go for that you do realize," I laughed.

"Max?" Mr. Wayne said and he raised an eyebrow.

I smirked, "Our leader, the flock's leader. I'm only second in command and hardly make any decisions."

"Why is Max the leader? Is he stronger? Smarter?" Mr. Wayne

I laughed, "Dude, Max is a girl. She's the leader because she just is. That's that."

"You take orders from a girl?" he asked looking skeptical.

"She tries," I said grinning and Mr. Dodge laughed. "Don't I get one phone call?" I asked them slightly frustrated.

Professor Dodge nodded and left the room for a moment to give me a phone.

_Uh, Pain? What's my mom's number?_

**Jeez Fang, I can remember and she's not **_**my**_** mother. 604-555-4378**

_Whatever, and thanks_, I thought as I dialed.

Shadow picked up, "Hello?"

"Sha-Sha, how's it going?" I said lightly with a grin.

"Fang!" She screamed into the phone, "Where the hell are you!? I'm going to kick your ass all the way from here to Kentucky! What the hell is wrong with you? Where are you?" She screeched into the phone and I held it away from me so I didn't blow my ear off.

"Shadow, chill, pass the phone to Max," I said and she huffed and passed it off.

"Hey, you in trouble?" Max asked, knowing all too well that I was, but knew that if I could call her I couldn't be in too bad of shape.

"A bit, being held captive…" I chuckled, "Again."

She sighed, "Fang," She groaned in annoyance.

Mr. Wayne tapped his watch and I sighed, "I'll see you Max, I got to go."

"I love you Fang," She practically whispered into the phone.

I turned away from the two guys and said quickly and quietly, "I love you too Max." She said bye and hung up.

I turned off the phone and it took me a minute before I could turn around and hand them the phone.

"Who was the screaming girl?" Mr. Dodge asked I gave him a look that told him that I wasn't going to tell him. He held up his hands in surrender, "I was just curious."

I sighed, "She's my sister. Shadow," I rolled my eyes and walked over to my bed.

"Odd name…."

I sighed, "It's a nickname… and that's all you're going to get from me."

"So… you love Max eh?" Mr. Wayne said casually.

I glared at him, "What's it to you?"

He shrugged, "Just interesting."

I growled at him and walked over to the window. I looked at the seal of it and pressed my hand against the cool glass. I thought about my chances of smashing it from the inside with just my shoulder. It wasn't good. Now if I had something on the outside, and it was heavy and I could really take a whack at it… it might break, or at least shatter enough that I would be able to get it out.

"What are you doing?" Mr. Dodge asked.

"Just looking," I said running my index finger down the side of the seal. These guys really didn't know how to hold me captive.

**Hey Fang, I thought you should know… Sorrow's getting his… 'voice' or whatever you call it.**

_What!? And I'm not there?_ How could I not be there for one of Sorrow's most important moments of his life? My little brother was probably screaming right now and I couldn't help him. I was so anger I took my injured hand and punched the glass. My hand exploded in pain but I ignored it and started to pace as I fumed.

**Don't worry, I'm taking most of the pain away, he's just really full of emotion and feels like he's got a bad headache, but it'll be over soon and he'll have his own voice. His voice is called Emotion, no duh, and it's actually a girl….**

_Wait, why does he get a girl voice?_ I asked in confusion.

He let out a chuckle kind of laugh,** I don't know, stereotyping. It's kind of weird…. Oh, the guys are trying to ask you stuff but you've got this dazed look from talking to me and you're still pacing…. I suggest that you don't tell them about me….**

I looked up at the guys and said, "What?"

"Why did you just hit the glass, are you mental?" Mr. Wayne asked me, looking at me as if I was stupid.

_You have no idea how close you are buddy boy…._

I heard Pain laugh in the back of my head.

"I am a 14-15-year-old bird freak locked in a room… obviously you don't see how I feel a bit like a _caged bird_ in here." I snarled at him.

"Then what's with the dazed look?" He fired back.

"Daydreaming… ever heard of it?"

"About?"

"What do you think!? I want to go flying dumbass!" I practically shouted at him.

Mr. Dodge seemed to think about this for a while, "I don't know how, but I'll try to arrange that… okay?"

I huffed and turned away from them, "Whatever."

I went over to the window and sat in the window seat type thing and rested my head against the glass. I stared at the world outside. I wanted to fly, yes, but I wanted to be free. There was no chance of that at the moment though.

**Fang, they're leaving. Take a nap, you'll need it.**

_Okay,_ I thought and I slowly drifted off.

I woke up to the sound of a loud bang. I had fallen onto the ground because I was sprawled out there. It was followed closely by another. I jumped up and Mr. Dodge and Mr. Wayne ran into my room.

I hear something shatter and then I felt wind on my back. I turned fast and I saw a baseball bat swig at the window again as it started to fall away.

I stared at it, who would be doing that right now? I caught a glimpse of short black hair and I frowned and asked, "Sorrow?"

He kicked away some of the window and smiled at me, "Hey, need some help?"

I laughed and he ran over to hug me. I picked him up and hugged him tightly before lowering him. We both started to move to the window. I heard keys jingling as Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dodge tried to open the barred door.

"See ya later you two, and if you wanted to know, this is my brother Sorrow… now we'll be going." I said and practically shoved Sorrow out the window and threw myself out after him.

I spread my wings and I grinned. I glanced at the window and they were both looking out it watching us. I grinned at Sorrow, "How did you know?"

"Emotion told me," He laughed and I flew over him and ruffled his hair as I did.

We flew to fast for them to follow, but no one was prepared so they couldn't anyways.

We flew back to mom's neighborhood. "So why'd you take off anyways?"

"Because Mark thinks like a jerk," I said glaring at the ground.

"Really? I thought he was a little weird, his emotions were all messed up." Sorrow said looking over at me.

"Does anyone know you went to get me?" I asked him realizing, for the first time, that he was actually alone, not even Nudge was with him.

"I didn't want to risk everyone following us and then one of us, or all of us, getting caught… this way only I was in danger…."

I stared at him with my mouth hanging open. I had done the same thing… exactly. "Wow… did you know I did exactly that when I saved Shadow from the school?"

He laughed and shook his head.

We landed in mom's backyard and pulled in my wings. Sorrow threw the screen open and we both ran in.

As I entered the house I was hit by something hard, it was Max and she was hugging me tightly. I held her as she hugged me.

When she let go my mom rushed over and hugged me too, "They didn't do anything to you did they?"

"Nah, I'm fine," I answered right away and Shadow ran into the room, slamming into me.

"You idiot!" she screamed as she squeezed the life out of me. "Do you know how worried we were you complete lunatic?" She paused and turned to Sorrow, "And you, what the hell were you thinking? Running off like that!"

"Hey! He saved Fang, I think you should be thanking him," Nudge defended Sorrow and she held his hand.

I rolled my eyes, "Same old same old around here," I muttered.

Max sighed and rested her head on my shoulder as I put my arm around her. She smiled at me, "So… you're back."

"Yep… I'm back."

"And we've got lots to do apparently."

"What?"

"We need to work out this housing arrangement. Deal with this whole angel deal. Figure out who these people who are joining us. Keep out of the way of reporters and the school… it's a lot of work…."

I sighed and held her to me. "Can't we relax first?" I asked staring into her eyes.

She smiled at me and kissed my lips lightly, "Sure."

She took my hand and we all sat down in front of the TV and watched an endless amount of comedies that mom went out and rented. As I sat there, my family around me I smiled. With Max under my arm, my siblings within arms reach, my friends within smacking range, and my mom in yelling distance, I was on cloud nine… so to speak.

Max rested her head on my arm as it was well past midnight and I smiled at her. Whatever was to come could come, I was sure that no matter what it was, we could deal with it.

With that in mind, I held her closer and watched the movie.

**(A/N: Sequel Name: Earth Born Angels… by the time you've finished reading this, it's already been posted… go to my profile for it.)**


End file.
